AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL by Lowell L. Bennion For the Sunday Schools of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Published by the Deseret Sunday School Union Board 135 South State Street Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 1955 Etext prepared by Susan Pixley PART 1 INTRODUCTION (Comprising Chapters 1 to 3) CHAPTER 1 OUR FIELD OF STUDY Religion is more than subject matter. Feeling as well as reason must enter into a study and evaluation of religion. The Apostle Paul realized the necessity of studying the things of God with the Spirit of God to assist us when he wrote: "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11, 12) THE SPIRIT OF OUR STUDY As we study the religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, let us do so critically with all our powers of mind at work. Let us also, however, study in a spirit of humility with our hearts tuned to God, that through his inspiration we may know the falseness or truth of the ideas presented to us. A great Jewish commentary on the Old Testament offers this advice: "Just as water forsakes a high place and travels to a low one, just so do the words of Scripture find a resting place only in a man of humble spirit."1 1Talmud (Ta'anit, 7a). Humility is a great need in the whole of life, and nowhere is it more rewarding than in the study and living of religion. What do we mean by humility? It is an attitude of open-mindedness, a childlike curiosity about things, a search for knowledge and understanding. It also means to feel one's dependence on God, to feel one's spiritual need.2 The humble man does not have all the answers. He is not self-sufficient. He feels his need to learn, to improve, to grow, and to be taught and guided by others, and especially by God. 2Goodspeed's translation of the First Beatitude. Each type of subject matter we study invites a somewhat different attitude of mind. When we look up a word in the dictionary we anticipate a precise, clear-cut definition. Our minds are critical and analytical as we study the meaning of words. Likewise when we study the law or a textbook in one of the sciences, we do so in an objective and rational frame of mind. We expect our subject matter to be accurate, logical, and precise. In contrast, when we read poetry we concern ourselves little or not at all with the exact meaning of words nor with a cold analysis of each sentence. We read poetry with feeling, seeking to catch the mood of the poet. Our interest lies in the poem as a whole, to which we respond in feeling as well as in thought. The basic source material for our study of religion is scripture. The scriptures were not written as theological textbooks nor as dictionaries and commentaries. They were written by religious men who were trying to honor God and to persuade men to believe in him and to do his will. Some writers of scripture, like the Psalmists, the Prophets Amos and Isaiah, and the author of the Book of Job were poets. In many of their writings feeling is the dominant tone. All of them are deeply religious in both attitude and intent.3 3This is repeatedly stated by Book of Mormon authors. See 1 Nephi 6:3-6; 2 Nephi 33; and Jacob 1:2-8. As we read the scriptures, we should do so in the spirit in which they were written. Let us read the Psalms as poetry in the spirit of devotion and adoration. As we read Job let us read with feeling for the deep sense of tragedy and yet trust in God which pervades this great work. As we read any or all scripture let us do so in a spirit of reverence for God, seeking his Holy Spirit to guide is in its interpretation. The truths of religion are learned gradually; they are not memorized quickly and once for all, like the multiplication tables. Such words as faith, love, and God are just words which stand for great realities which they symbolize. Each one must become a growing concept in our experience. Our understanding of God must grow and increase as we mature in life. He may mean more and more to us through the years, yet we refer to him by the same name when we are four, twelve, twenty, or fifty years old. The principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we speak of as eternal truths. Love always has been, is, and ever will be the great principle of life, the first commandment, and the very heart of religion and life. To God and Christ love is known in its fullness, but not to man. We do not know its full meaning, but likely only a small part. Our love is not pure. It is mixed with self-love. Our love is limited by our lack of understanding and experience in love. There is a marked difference between a principle, such as love, and our understanding of it. Just as the scientist knows that he comprehends only a small part of the universe which he is seeking to understand, so the student of religion should realize that he, too, is as a child before the great truths pertaining to God. Even though the words denoting religion have been with us a long time, their meeting must be sought anew by each of us. And they are so rich in meaning none of us shall ever exhaust their fullness, at least not in this life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ might be likened unto a cool, everflowing mountain spring. It is there before the thirsty hiker finds it. Once there, the hiker lowers himself to drink of it freely and is refreshed. But he does not drink the spring dry; he may return to it and drink thereof again and again. The Gospel is ever there for our study. When we are sufficiently thirsty and humble, we partake of it and we are refreshed in mind and heart. We never exhaust it. It flows on, as it were, waiting for the humble of spirit to drink of it. In the chapters which follow, we make no pretense of presenting the religion of the Latter-day Saints in its fullness. This we know even before the work is written. The religion Jesus Christ taught is much larger and more beautiful than our understanding of it. Our study must be thought of as being only introductory, as a guide to further study. Why, then, do we write? Because we have been asked to prepare a course of study on this subject. This we do gladly because we have come to appreciate deeply the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we have learned of it in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This little work may lead some reader to enrich his understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If it does, it will have fulfilled its purpose. Let us -- the student, teacher, and writer -- be students together as we consider this brief course of study. OUR FIELD OF STUDY The religion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a big and complex subject. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, we are dividing the subject into four parts: 1. The Doctrines of the Church. 2. The Nature and Work of the Church. 3. Some Basic Characteristics of the Latter-day Saint Way of Life. 4. The Origin and Position of the Church among Other Religions of Mankind. We shall present a brief description of each one of these divisions. 1. The Doctrines of the Church A systematic study of the doctrines or beliefs of a church is called theology. The word itself is Greek in origin and means the study of God. The heart of theology includes a study of God, the universe, and man. Christian theology includes also the doctrine of Christ and his way of bringing salvation to the children of men. In this largest division of our course of study, we shall present the basic beliefs of the Latter-day Saints about (1) the nature, character, and work of God, (2) the nature, character, purpose and destiny of man, and (3) the life and mission of Jesus Christ. Out of our study will come also a picture of man's relationship to God, Christ, and to fellow man. The study of theology is a large and somewhat difficult undertaking. Not only are humility and inspiration needed, but also common sense and wisdom. Our purpose in this study will be to present the fundamental doctrines of the Church as simply and clearly as possible. We shall restrain the tendency, common to many of us, to speculate unduly and become involved in mysteries, "in things which lead not to edification." It is important also in our study of theology to try to see things as a whole, various ideas in relationship to one another. Any idea can stand alone. It is when related ideas meet and live with each other that they must make sense to be true. Our search in this study will be for a whole view of life -- for an understanding of God, man, and Christ in their relationship to one another. When a business man considers his work, he does not consider each problem as being separate and apart from other problems, but considers them as parts of the whole. Only thus can he work intelligently and successfully. This is true of the work of the farmer, the doctor, or the housewife. It is equally important as a guide to the student of theology. Theology is by nature rational and quite abstract. Definitions and statements of belief make up its subject matter. Therefore, it can easily become technical, arid, and "bookish." In the Bible and in additional Latter-day Saint scriptures, theology is never divorced from life. The main emphasis in scripture is not theological, but religious, writers persuading men to worship and serve God and to deal justly and with mercy toward fellow men. In our study we wish to be in harmony with the scriptures in this emphasis on functional theology. We wish to see theology as a vital force in everyday life. In summary, our study of theology in the first part of this manual will deal with our fundamental doctrines pertaining to God, Christ, and man. We shall aim at a whole view and we shall study theology not simply in the abstract, but as it may become food and drink to us in our daily lives. 2. The Church In Part 2 of this course we shall study the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. The Church is not to be confused with theology or with a meetinghouse or chapel. The Church, like the family, the state, the army, a corporation, is a social institution. It may be defined as a body of believers, organized and authorized to achieve God's purpose in the lives of men. The most distinctive feature of the Church is its religious purpose and the particular powers and methods it has to achieve this divine purpose. Religion is more than a private affair. God wills that men shall pursue it together, lending each other moral support and fellowship in the great adventure of religious living. Latter-day Saints know the benefits and the joy of working together in the work of God. After we have studied the doctrines of the Church it will be interesting to study the Church itself, the social vehicle, a means by which we are trying to realize the doctrine in human life. 3. Some Characteristics of the "Mormon" Way of Life Latter-day Saints are not only a body of believers with a purpose and with beliefs and doctrines, but also they are a people with a history and a culture uniquely their own. From the blend of belief, Church life, and history, emerges what might be called the ethos of "Mormonism," or the Latter-day Saint way of life. In Part 3 of our course we shall try to depict some of the emphases and ideals of Latter-day Saint living which need to be understood in order to appreciate the life of the Latter-day Saints, both as it is and as it aspires to be, for we live far short of the ideal. 4. The Origin and Position of the Church Among Other Religions of Mankind Having studied previously the beliefs, Church organization and practice, and the way of life of the Latter-day Saints, in Part 4 we shall tell the story of the origin of the Church. How did it come to be? What place does the Church of Jesus Christ hold among the Christian religions and among the religions of mankind? What is the mission of the Church? What lies ahead? What is to be accomplished by God through this people? A discussion of these and like important issues will conclude our study. CHAPTER 2 THE MEANING AND VALUE OF FAITH The religious man walks by faith. Even as the artist lives by the expression of beauty or the scientist by the search for knowledge, the person of religious conviction lives by faith. Nothing is more fundamental to religion than faith, unless it be love. And it might be readily shown that love, in part, is the fruit of faith. Faith is the dynamic force that illumines the pages of religious history. Great men of biblical times, from Abraham through Moses, David, Amos, Jesus to Peter and Paul were men of faith. To Abraham, father of the people who established both the Hebrew and Christian religions, came the characteristic call of faith: "Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: "And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:1-3) And Paul, writing to the Romans near the close of his valiant career as a missionary and sufferer for Christ's sake exults in his Christian faith in these words: "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38, 39) Jesus spoke again and again of faith, sometimes in rebuke, but more often by way of comfort and encouragement. How familiar are such sayings of his! "Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole." (Mark 10:52; Luke 17:19) "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed … nothing shall be impossible unto you."4 (Matthew 17:20; Luke 17:6) 4In quotations of scripture throughout this work, the italics used are the author's. "Oh ye of little faith." (Matthew 6:30; Luke 12:28) "Where is thy faith?" Not everyone can accept the principle of faith as Jesus and the prophets did. In our modern age many people look with skepticism at religion because so much of it seems to be founded on faith. To them faith is something vague, mysterious or unreal, a figment of imagination, and at best a poor substitute for knowledge. Since faith does play such a vital role in religion, it is important that we delve into it at the outset. We shall want a few questions answered: Does the foundation of faith mean that the religious life, like a house, is built upon rock or upon sand? Is to live by faith a weakness? Is the attitude of faith peculiar to religion? Is faith a poor substitute for knowledge? To get at these and many like questions, we must first define the meaning of faith. THE MEANING OF FAITH We understand things best by comparison and by contrast with other somewhat familiar and related things. We therefore shall define three terms often used in conjunction with one another: knowledge, belief, and faith.5 5The definitions given here are not final, nor complete, nor perfect. Like all definitions, they are somewhat arbitrary and are to be accepted if useful, clear, and helpful in reaching understanding. Knowledge is awareness of things (of reality) through repeated and verifiable experience. We say we know a thing if it has happened under like circumstances again and again. We have seen it repeatedly with our own eyes, heard it with our own ears, and we have been able to communicate this common experience intelligibly to others. Knowledge, as commonly used, is the fruit of experience and of thinking. Knowledge is rational. It is based on experiences which are interpreted by the mind. We have confidence in knowledge, in things that have happened again and again under like conditions. We know that day follows night and (in temperate zones) that spring follows winter, and that death follows birth. We know that two plus two equals four. This formula has worked for us from the time we were in the first or second grade. Belief is closely related to knowledge. It, too, is the product of thinking and observation. Belief is not as certain as knowledge. We say we believe something will take place when we are not sure enough to say "we know." Belief is like a little child learning to walk. it is not sure of its footing. When a person says he believes it will rain, he is not sure. He means that it is his guess that it will rain, or that it is more likely than not to rain. Belief is a state of mind in which a man does not have enough knowledge or experience to be certain. He does not know. He is thinking in terms of probability or likelihood, depending on the degree of certainty of his belief. Thus belief and knowledge belong to the same family. Both are rational conclusions, intellectual conclusions of one kind or another, belief being the weaker and less certain of the two states of mind. Faith is something quite different from both knowledge and belief. This is indicated in two statements about the nature of faith found in scripture: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) "… faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." (Alma 32:21; note verses 17-21) In these statements faith is identified with hope. In an attitude of faith we hope for things which we have not yet seen, experienced, nor realized through repeated and verifiable experiences. Hope is one ingredient of faith. It might be called a weak or mild form of faith which, however, indicates to us the essential character of faith. Faith, unlike belief and knowledge, is essentially feeling, an affective state lying somewhere between hope and certitude or complete assurance. When we live by faith, we feel that something not seen is real or that something not yet accomplished will be accomplished. For example, a young couple plan to be married. They have only limited knowledge of each other and of marriage. Their marriage is an act of faith in the venture and in each other. They hope and likely feel assured that their forthcoming experience will prove successful. They cannot know it rationally with certainty. Faith, unlike knowledge, always points to the future. We know things from the past, and the future we know only as it is quite certain to repeat the past, such as the course of the "starry heavens above." In faith and by faith we go beyond our knowledge and face the future -- that which "eye hath not seen nor ear heard," the unknown, the not yet accomplished, that which is yet to be. Where knowledge fails us, we have no choice but to live by faith. Faith, unlike belief, always involves action. We have many beliefs which do not express themselves in action. You may believe that the Cadillac automobile is preferable to a Lincoln or vice versa. You are in no position to purchase either, so your idea remains in the realm of belief. It is pure intellectual speculation or fancy. In contrast, man lives by faith. Faith is belief turned into action, feeling that motivates one to do something, to work and live as though something were true or real or were going to become real. Well did James write: "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." (James 2:17) Faith without works is merely belief. As soon as we act on our belief it turns to faith. This thought is well stated as follows: "Faith is at once an affirmation of truth and surrendering to the truth affirmed. Apart from the first it would be blind; apart from the second, without practical significance." (Morgan, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics) FAITH AND KNOWLEDGE Faith and knowledge are both essential elements in the life of man. Each has its peculiar limitations as well as its unique strength. Let us consider the merits of each in relation to the other. This will help us to appreciate both. Knowledge has certain advantages over faith. Based on repeated past experience and observation, it brings a sense of security and certainty into one's life. It thereby eliminates much superstition and fear and enables us to cope successfully with many aspects of our environment. In pioneer days a mother of our acquaintance lost all five of her children from diphtheria in three week's time. Because of increased knowledge of the nature and control of diphtheria today, we inoculate children and are not concerned with this particular disease. The fact that the cause and cure have not been fully established for other dread afflictions such as polio, multiple sclerosis and cancer, creates in us a sense of insecurity in relation to them. Knowledge is more tangible, more factual, more specific and concrete. It is usually something definite, understandable, and therefore communicable. Ideas are more constant than emotions and lend themselves more readily to description and communication. We live in a world of things, persons, and laws. Knowledge is a most helpful means of living in our kind of world. Ignorance is blind and can easily lead us to serious maladjustments and frustration. Therefore, wise is the person who seeks after truth in every important sphere of life. Well did Jesus say to Pilate: "… To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." (John 18:37, 38) And on another occasion, he spoke similarly to those who believed on him: "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31, 32)6 6Note also Hosea 6:4-6. Jesus knew that we need to live by knowledge as well as by faith, and was confident that He knew the laws important to man's moral and spiritual life. Some well-known passages in Latter-day Saint scripture, which stress the importance of knowledge, are: "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (Doctrine and Covenants 131:6) "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36) "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (Doctrine and Covenants 88;118) "But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God." (2 Nephi 9:29)7 7Note also Doctrine and Covenants 88:34-35 and 77-80. Knowledge is essential to an understanding of life, to the satisfaction of human needs, and to the realization of human values and goals. In every worthwhile endeavor we should seek after knowledge and not be content until we find it. Progress in any field -- in health, engineering, agriculture, and also in the religious life -- has been dependent in good part on knowledge of the laws of nature and of God and their application to human life. We should not be content to live by faith alone if knowledge is obtainable. We had better know how much gas there is in the tank than to drive on "in faith." We had better know if a prospective business associate is honest and capable rather than to enter into a partnership on faith. A girl had better know through tangible evidence that her prospective husband is ambitious, hard-working, and honest than to be content to exercise a simple faith in these and related attributes of character. Faith is a poor substitute for knowledge when knowledge is available. Knowledge has its limitations. It is geared to the past, and though it casts its light on the present and the future, it is never sufficient to meet the demands of the present and the future. The unknown ever looms larger than the known. And this is where faith comes in, not to displace knowledge, not to wage war with knowledge, but to lead us beyond its borders. Faith has its advantages and disadvantages in relation to knowledge. It is not always as certain as knowledge. Sometimes we place our faith in the wrong person or in an erroneous idea, and then we are disillusioned and sometimes hurt. Faith, too, is more difficult to communicate to others because it is more personal and subjective, more a matter of feeling and intuition. On the other hand, faith is more adventurous than knowledge. It is an attitude toward life for the young in heart, for the courageous, the brave, the daring and for those who affirm life in all of its wonderful possibilities. Knowledge is geared to the past, faith to the future. The most exciting things about knowledge are the quest for it and its application to life. Both the quest and the application are intimately related to faith. Knowledge, once learned and reviewed, is repetitious. In the realm of knowledge we conform to life; in the realm of faith we create life. We fashion it after the image we carry in our own heart or imagination. People of faith create and fashion life after the image of their own faith. Where there is a sound faith like that possessed by Jesus, Pasteur, Washington, Lincoln, and the Curies, life is made better for their vision of faith which became fulfilled in knowledge and history. As William James said: "The faith-state is the sense of the exceedingness of the possible over the real."8 By faith, we act without knowing the outcome of our action, but with the assurance that it will be realized according to our hope or vision. Thus people of faith keep pushing back the horizons of knowledge to accomplish much that is good, depending on the object and quality of their faith. 8Varieties of Religious Experience. FAITH ESSENTIAL Faith we must have to live today and to anticipate the morrow. In life as a whole, faith is as important as knowledge, and vice versa. We have no need to choose between them. We need to gain all the knowledge we can, and then push out by the light of faith beyond the limits of knowledge. And we will do well to have our faith take cognizance of all the experience and knowledge available, and act in harmony with it lest our faith be blind and never realized. The important question is not: Shall we live by faith? This we must do. The important question is: In what shall we have faith? Another related is this: How does religious faith differ from faith experienced in other fields of life -- in science, art, and everyday life? To these questions we shall turn in our next lesson. CHAPTER 3 RELIGIOUS FAITH Faith, as defined in Chapter 2, is not limited to religion. In every walk of life, we live in the present and look to the future, we necessarily exercise faith -- live in anticipation of accomplishments and realities which we have not yet known. The attitude of faith is necessary in all human relationships, in marriage, in business, in sports, in politics, in war, in peace, in mental health. Even science and philosophy, which place so much value on the use of reason, are based on certain assumptions of faith. The scientist, for example, places great trust in his senses, believing that they report quite accurately the world about us. He believes also in a world of law and order, of cause and effect. He believes he can think and that thinking is worth while. These assumptions, he feels, have been verified through science. Still they remain assumptions. The doctor assumes that life is worth living. He cannot prove it with all his science. But this is the faith which underlies all of his work in the highly-honored practice of medicine. Religion has no monopoly on faith. Nor is the experience of faith in religion wholly different from the experience of faith in everyday life. In both instances we are facing the future and the unknown with a feeling of hope and assurance. Religious faith is characterized largely by a difference in its object. Let us illustrate: CHARACTERISTICS OF RELIGIOUS FAITH 1. Religion is a source of faith in the meaning of life as a whole. In daily life and in the specialized sciences, we usually express faith in some particular thing or process. In religion, in contrast, we are mostly concerned with the meaning of man's whole existence, his very life. Is the universe about us indifferent to man's fate or is there an intelligent Being who is working out his benevolent purposes in human life? Most religions are based on the faith that life is not a matter of chance, not the result of the operation of impersonal forces, but the fruit of divine wisdom and planning. For example: "The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. "By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. "My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: "So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. "Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. "Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. "For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken." (Proverbs 3:19-26) It is the feeling about the universe as a whole and the meaning of man's life in it which characterizes the religious faith found in the scriptures. The Psamlist voices this kind of faith again and again. "<> O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. "Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. "Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. "Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." (Psalm 139:1-12) The same faith is expressed in a meaningful passage in the Book of Mormon: "Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourself know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works." (Jacob 4:10) The man of religious faith believes that life is meaningful and potentially good, because it is the creation of God who "counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy over all his works." This religious faith in the meaning of life is stated effectively by the great American philosopher, W. P. Montague, who writes that religion is the faith that "the great things that matter most in life are not at the mercy of things that matter least."9 By this he seems to mean that the things men cherish most and believe to be of greatest worth, such as truth, beauty and goodness or love, integrity and knowledge, are not at the mercy of the impersonal forces of nature. Though all human life on the face of the earth were destroyed by natural or human catastrophe, truth, beauty, and goodness would live on. They are more than human qualities. They are attributes of God. And, we might add, they belong to the minds of men, too, which can and do survive death. 9See his Belief Unbound, Yale University Press, 1930, pp. 6 and 7. According to our Christian faith, man's life on earth is purposeful, a part of a divine and eternal plan. And, though we don't have all the answers about many particulars, our religion sustains us in our positive feeling of faith toward the whole of life. The religion of the Latter-day Saints is extremely strong and affirmative in its acceptance of life as a whole. This will be clearly shown in subsequent lessons. 2. A second characteristic of religious faith, closely allied to the first, we may call a total commitment. Just as religion is an attitude of faith in the overall meaning and purpose of life, it is also a total and complete commitment to his faith on the part of the true believer. In daily life we commit ourselves to some task or to some obligation again and again. We sign contracts, make loans, register for courses of study, promise to love, honor, and cherish one another in marriage, swear an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of our country. These are individual and specific commitments some of which are only of short duration. None of them embraces our complete feeling about the whole of life. Religious faith means the dedication of one's whole life, "in search, reverence and service" to the object of one's faith, to the great purpose of life.10 Religion means a commitment of the whole self to that which is supreme, highest, and best in life and in the universe. Religious faith is no partial, limited, or temporary loyalty. It is a devotion to the whole of life in its highest spiritual meaning now and forever, as long as religious faith is real. This complete commitment is indicated and encouraged often in scripture. 10This will be discussed in a later chapter. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: "And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. "And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. "And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. "This is the first and great commandment. "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:35-40) "O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. "Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 37:35-37) Jesus' words to Nicodemus, who came to him by night wishing to know how to enter into the kingdom of God, illustrate the very wholeness of religious conviction. Jesus said to him, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Nicodemus was confused, thinking Jesus meant to be born again of his mother in the flesh. But Jesus had reference to finding a new faith, becoming a new person in one's religious and moral outlook, living a new spiritual life. Baptism by water and the gift of the Holy Ghost were means of bearing witness to and helping man to be spiritually reborn. 3. Religious faith is idealistic and aspirational. All the great religions of mankind are striving to help men be better persons, to live on a higher moral plane, to forsake hate, greed, selfishness, and to be just, kind and merciful toward fellow men. Isaiah's plea for God is typical of this characteristic of religious faith: "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." (Isaiah 1:16-17) The entire Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, is a call to idealistic and nobler living which even challenges man to be like God in his impartiality and love -- "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:8, note verses 43-48) Faith in the improvement of human nature, in man's perfectibility, slow, long, and discouraging though it be, is implicit in the Hebrew, early Christian, and Latter-day Saint faiths. This is not only true of individuals but also it is the goal of society. Prophets of God have been concerned continuously with the establishment of a righteous people of Zion, a social condition among men where justice, mercy, peace, and good will may prevail. For example: "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. "And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. "For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever." (Micah 4:1-5) 4. Another characteristic of religious faith is this: It involves the will; it calls for great moral and spiritual action in the life of an individual. Religious faith brings one's whole moral effort into functioning. When we, in faith, project a hypothesis in science to explain the facts, we are simply exercising the imagination, acting upon intellectual hunches and curiosity. When we act in business on faith, we do so for economic gain and perhaps in the spirit of adventure. Neither in business nor in science is man required often to exercise his full moral or spiritual capacities. Religious faith, in contrast, calls for great self-discipline, self-control, humility, repentance, meekness, and other attributes of character. 5. Religious faith, in some respects, is not easily nor completely verifiable. In the great fundamentals of religion we shall ever walk by faith. Some principles of religion can be verified through experience and observation in everyday life. The whole of religion need not be accepted on faith. We learn from history and personal living the fruits of hate, greed, selfishness, theft, and like evils, as also the good fruits of self-control, kindness, mercy, honesty, and love. Our faith in the ideals of religion can be verified again and again and can grow into certain knowledge. AVENUES OF FAITH 1. In our faith in God and immortality we shall ever walk by faith. That faith may grow from hope into certitude. And the spirit of God or the Holy Ghost can bear witness to our hearts to give us great assurance. But we must still exercise faith in things we have not seen or heard or known in the same tangible and objective way by which we can know the principles of religious living. There is a light and influence going forth from Deity, which inclines the minds and hearts of men to believe and to want to do good. "And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; "Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space -- "The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things." (D&C 88;11-13) "For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night. "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. "Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ." (Moroni 7:15, 16, 19) It lies within the power of man to receive or to reject the influence of the Spirit of God. The gift of faith, like a muscle, becomes strong with use, weak with neglect. 2. A second avenue to faith is study. The scriptures contain many beautiful stories, many reflections on life, much wise counsel; much evidence of God's dealings with his prophets, and great truths to which our minds and hearts respond with faith. Our own experience in life will confirm much that we read in scripture. And the Spirit of God will also bear witness of its truth and worth. This it cannot do, however, unless we expose ourselves to the Word and make ourselves receptive to its influence. Jesus said: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7) 3. A sure way to build faith is to live by faith. Even as we know flavor by taste, so we can also come to feel and know in our hearts the truth and worth of religion by partaking of it. Jesus said "to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31, 32) "Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. "And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." (John 7:14-18) One learns the value of work by working, of play by playing, of food by eating; and one learns the value of faith by exercising faith, of love by trying to love fellow men. Even so, if one would have faith in God, he must at least say to himself, "It could be that he lives. I shall give the idea a fair trial. I shall do his will. I shall read the scriptures, especially the life of Jesus, and I shall try to live as he says God would have me live. If there is anything to religion, I shall at least give it a fair chance in my life." This need for growth, gradual growth, in faith is explained in an interesting chapter in the Book of Mormon. The writer is fair. He suggests that one exercise only enough belief to make an experiment with faith. Read carefully his words: "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. "Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves -- It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. "Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge. "But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow. "And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness. "Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away. "And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good. "And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand. "O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect? "Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good. "And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit. "But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out. "Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof. "And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life. "But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. "And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. "Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you. PART 2 THE LATTER-DAY SAINT CONCEPT OF GOD (Comprising Chapters 4-7) CHAPTER 4 GOD LIVES God is far greater than we can adequately describe. His full nature and sublime character are far beyond our complete grasp. Learning to know him is an eternal quest. Knowing this, we approach the subject of the nature of God in a spirit of reverence and humility, acknowledging that our loftiest conception of God is but indicative of what he really is. The difference between what God is and our view of him is indicated in the following scriptures: "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:6-9) "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9) In the closing chapters of the Book of Job (38 to 41:5), Job is made to realize and acknowledge how little he knows compared with the knowledge of his Creator. In the light of God's knowledge and creation, Job confesses: "Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. "Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:3, 6) While it is true that we cannot know God fully and should ever be humble and reserved in our statements about him, it is also important that we do come to know him as fully as we can. Shortly before the Savior's arrest and trial, he offered a beautiful prayer to his Father in behalf of his disciples and all who might believe in him. In it he said: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) Jesus also said, in answer to the question, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law (of Moses11)?" 11Author's addition. "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." (Matthew 22:37) How can we love sincerely and fully that which we do not know and do not understand? While we cannot know the Father fully, we ought to try to grow and to increase in our knowledge of him, for a knowledge and love of God is the very heart of our Christian faith. We do not know nearly all there is to know about God. This we freely acknowledge. Admitting this fact, it is important, indeed, that we have some knowledge of him and that the knowledge we do have is true as far as it goes. The physician does not know all about the human body. This we know for sure. Our hope and faith is that what he does know about the body is quite true. The same is true of our knowledge of God. Limited though it is, it ought to be true as far as it goes. Our knowledge of God ought to be consistent with that which he really is. Otherwise, how can we serve him or love him fruitfully? Our concern in this and the next few chapters will be to single out a few tremendously important things about God in which we Latter-day Saints do believe, things on which we can build a religious and moral life with complete assurance, and in which we can grow and improve in our relationship with God. The knowledge we do have of God has come through revelation from him and other members of Deity, and is also confirmed in many ways by our own reason and experience in life. GOD IS PERSONAL The word God, is used freely and loosely by men in all fields. It stands for many things, for law, mind, force, nature, love, goodness, highest value, a Person, or even the unknown. The word itself stands for different things in the minds of poets, scientists, philosophers, prophets, and even men in the street. In the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as understood by the Latter- day Saints, God is not an abstract ideal or idea; he is not simply a law, a force, or nature; he is not the great mysterious unknown. He is a living God, a conscious, sentient, intelligent Being, a Person with whom we associate the highest attributes of personality – intelligence, creativeness, goodness, integrity, mercy and love. All the prophets make us feel that God is real, an objective Personality in his own right. He thinks, purposes, creates, loves, suffers, and acts. To them he is Creator, Judge, Helper, and the Father. Such appellations do not apply to law, principle, ideal, or nature. If God were not personal, prayer would be quite meaningless. Prayer implies communication and response between two persons. We do not pray to nature, law, or an ideal. Such things we simply try to understand and accommodate ourselves to them. In contrast, how intimate and personal is the feeling we have when we read the Psalms! “<> The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalm 23:1-6) How personal the Creator was in the mind and heart of Jesus is clearly evident from the Gospels: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. “Give us this day our daily bread. “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13) The tendency in the history of Christianity has been to de-personalize God, to speak of him in terms of such abstract concepts as the Absolute, First Cause, Prime Mover. The tendency has been to make of God something wholly other than man. This is illustrated in a passage from the celebrated theological work of John Calvin, the great theologian of the Protestant Reformation: “Man is utterly corrupt and depraved, and humility alone becomes him in the presence of God, who is all that he is not. To know God is to be struck with horror and amazement, for then and only then does one realize one’s own true character.” (Institutes, Bk. 11, Chap. 3) MAN – IN THE IMAGE OF GOD Latter-day Saints hold to a simple faith, one that is clearly and frequently proclaimed in the scriptures. The Bible, in the beautiful story of creation, states: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:26, 27) Man is much less than God, but not wholly different. To the contrary, man is in the very image of God, born to think, suffer, to be free, knowing good and evil, for “Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:” (Genesis 3:22); and to create, to do good, to love. Man is in the spiritual image of his Creator and Father. Man’s glory is his personality, in his qualities of mind and heart. God, too, is personal. His glory is also the glory of personality, intelligence, freedom, creation, integrity, and love. Jesus spoke of God in highly personal terms. To him God was a loving and just Father, dwelling in the heavens. Jesus Christ came and dwelt among men to reveal to them the nature and character of the Father. This he did both by precept and example. This, too, he knew he had done, as is clearly stated in the Gospel fo John: “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. “Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” (John 14:1-11) This passage is interpreted variously among men. Some think it means simply that God is love and Jesus, having taught and lived by love so perfectly, became the revelation of God (or love) to mankind. This we believe, is too narrow an interpretation. God is more than love; he is also Creator, Revelator, and Judge. Jesus’ own personality was far richer than that of lover, great as Christian love is. Personality is not exhausted in one word, not even in love. Persons also think, learn, create, and do justly. Jesus was the revelation of the character of God in all of his attributes. Latter-day Saints go one step further. Not only is man in the spiritual image of God; but also he is created physically in the image of God. This may seem strange and even shocking to many, but wait and suspend judgment for a moment. This does not mean that God is man or in the image of man. No, God was not created in the image of man. We do not reduce God to man; we do not humanize God and ascribe to him the frailties and limitations of man. God is much more than man, but man is in his image. In 1820, Joseph Smith in a humble prayer of faith, asked God which was the true Christian faith. In answer to that prayer, the boy received a heavenly manifestation in which the Father and the Son appeared to him. This is his later description of his experience: “When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spoke unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other -- This is my Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith-History 1:17) The young prophet modestly and reverently said of the Father and Son: “… whose brightness and glory defy all description.” Still he reported that God the Father, like the Son, Jesus Christ, was a Personage (old English for person). The Prophet saw him and heard him. God has form in the likeness of which man’s very body was created. God, too, exists in time and space. We, his children, are potentially like him in nature and in spirit. In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1843, it is declared: “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” (D&C 130:22) Biblical accounts of the manifestation of the Father or of the Father and Son we take literally. For example, at the baptism of Jesus, reference is made to the Father, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17) Again, when Stephen was preaching in the early days of the Christian Church and men “gnashed on him with their teeth. “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, “And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:54-56) Of Moses, founder, under God, of the nation of Israel, it is written: “And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” (Deuteronomy 34:10) “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.” (Exodus 33:11) Man was created in the image of God, both physically and spiritually, in his entire personality. And while God is infinitely more glorious than man in every way, still man is a child of God, made in his image with unlimited possibilities to grow and increase in the likeness of him who is his Father and Creator. CHAPTER 5 THREE PERSONS IN THE GODHEAD The first Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads: “We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” These are three separate persons, as distinct from one another as three human beings are. In the early creeds of Christendom, the personalities of the Godhead became merged in one. God the Father was spoken of as the invisible of the Son, and the Son as the manifestation of the Father. Three in one or one Person in three became the inexplicable mystery of the Godhead. Latter-day Saints believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are unified in purpose and one in influence for good, but that they remain separate and distinct persons, each with his own personality, work, and mission in relation to man. God the Father is the supreme intelligence, the head, worshipped and honored by Jesus, by the Holy Ghost, and by men. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, chosen to lead the children of men, his brethren, to salvation and eternal life. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the Father and the Son and guides mankind to understand and live the teachings of the Son. In this lesson we shall endeavor to show that the Bible clearly teaches that there are three distinct persons in the Godhead. Then we shall see more fully in what sense the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one. THREE DISTINCT PERSONS At the baptism of Jesus, as already indicated in the preceding chapter, all three members of the Godhead were present and are spoken of as being distinct from one another: Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan. There he stood and "… when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:" The Holy Ghost was present, "… and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:" And the Father spoke from the heavens: "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:13-17)12 12Mark and Luke bear the same witness as Matthew. In the Gospel of John, Chapters 14, 15, and 16, is a record of some of the sayings of Jesus shortly before his crucifixion. He knew of his impending death. His disciples, too, must have sensed in some measure the tragedy of the hour, for he said unto them: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1) The main theme of these chapters is this: Jesus is about to leave his disciples and return unto the Father, but he will not leave them alone, for he will ask the Father to send unto them "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost." Here it is stated clearly and repeatedly that Jesus is leaving the Twelve, going unto the Father, who will send to them the Holy Ghost. We select a few passages from these chapters.13 13The earnest student will go directly to John 14-16 to catch the whole emphasis in these chapters. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:16-17) "These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:25-26) "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:" (John 15:26) "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" (John 16:7-8) Jesus said: "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7) THE FATHER AND THE SON DISTINCT There are numerous passages in the Gospels in which Jesus speaks of God the Father as a Person separate and distinct from himself. This is particularly true in his prayer life. "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. "All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." (Luke 10:21-22) "And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. "He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." (Matthew 26:36-42) The Lord's prayer, which begins, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by thy name," not only speaks of the Father being in heaven while Jesus was here upon the earth, but also identifies the Savior with men. He and we alike are children of God and are to call him Father. Perhaps the passage which most clearly distinguishes the Savior from his Father is the following: "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? "And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:16-17) Jesus acknowledged the supreme and unique goodness of the Father. In reverent humility he wished men to distinguish between himself and the Father, whom he loved and worshiped. Were the Father and Son one in nature, single in being, such a distinction could not well be made. But of the Son it is written: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man." (Luke 2:52) Jesus wanted his followers to know that he came of God, and spoke for the Father, not himself. Why would such an emphasis be necessary if they were one God? "Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. "And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." (John 7:14-18) What kind of vision did courageous Stephen behold when he preached the Christ to the angry mob who "gnashed on him with their teeth?" "But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, "And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." (Acts 7:55-56) Did Stephen behold the Father and the Son, or is such a passage not to be taken literally or as being honest in intent? A careful reading of any or all of the Gospels will reveal the fact that while Jesus was on the earth the Father was in heaven and that Jesus spoke of him and to him as a separate and distinct person, the object of his full loyalty and love. This is the obvious conclusion to be drawn from the great majority of passages which contain references to the Father and the Son. THE FATHER AND SON ARE ONE The Gospel of John is somewhat different in language and emphasis from the other three Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke. These latter three are called synoptic Gospels because they are similar in purpose and arrangement. Each tells the story of the Savior from the beginning of his life to the crucifixion and resurrection. Each is biographical in style and purpose. Each portrays Jesus as a man among men, who gradually revealed to his disciples his triumphant mission as the Son of God. In contrast, the Gospel of John begins, not with the birth of Christ, but with a declaration of his Godhood. The entire Gospel was written, it seems evident, to declare the divine mission of the Savior as a member of the Godhead. Many passages in the Gospel of John speak of his Godhood and of his oneness with the Father.14 14Note especially chapters 1, 14, and 17. Latter-day Saints believe Jesus Christ is a member of the Godhead, that he performs the work of God, is his Son, and therefore is rightly called God. It is natural that Jesus should speak of his oneness with the Father. This, however, refers, not to their beings or natures, but to their unity of purpose and their harmony of function. This is rather clearly evident in John 17, which speaks so much of the oneness of the Father and the Son.15 After declaring that "this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent" and after asking the Father to "glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was," Jesus prayed for his disciples whom he was about to leave and whom he loved, and whose fate he well knew. He prayed: 15Read the entire chapter. "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." (John 17:11) In what sense were the Twelve to be one? "… as we (the Father and Son) are." Farther along in the same prayer Jesus includes all believers in this oneness which he enjoys with the Father. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:20-23) The oneness that Jesus is seeking for all men who will believe on him is not a oneness of being with God. Men are to be resurrected, even as Jesus was, and stand before the judgment seat of God and retain their individuality throughout eternity. The scriptures are clear on this point.16 The oneness Jesus means is a oneness of spirit, a common purpose, a harmony of life based on the great principle of love. This is indicated in the last verse of this beautiful prayer on behalf of his disciples and all who should ever become his followers. 16Note, for example, 1 Corinthians 15, or John 14:1-4. "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it; that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26) Other lessons will follow which will further amplify the nature and mission of each member of the Godhead. Suffice it to say in this chapter, in conclusion, that we Latter-day Saints respect two great principles in reference to both Diety and men. We believe in individuality. Each member of Diety, as each of us, is an eternal individual and person in his own right. Each has his own powers of mind and soul; each has his own freedom, responsibility, work and glory. We honor and are grateful to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost individually. We also believe in unity. Even as husband and wife, who are separate and distinct as persons, work together for their family, so the Father and Son are separate and distinct Persons who work in love for the salvation of men. These two ideals -- unity and individuality -- are not incompatible; they are in no sense contradictory. Under the influence of the gospel of love, two or more individuals working in harmony greatly multiply their chances of life- fullfillment for each of them. CHAPTER 6 THE NATURE OF GOD In an earlier chapter17 Isaiah's words were quoted: 17Chapter 4. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) Man cannot begin to know all there is to know about his Maker. This we acknowledge freely and shall guard against elaborating the unknown. We shall discuss here and in ensuing chapters a few basic beliefs entertained about God, the Father by the Latter-day Saints -- beliefs which are important to the religious and moral life of men. MONOTHEISM The heart of the Jewish faith, particularly as taught in Deuteronomy and in the Prophets, such as in the Book of Jonah, is monotheism or belief in one God. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) One reason for the rejection of Christianity by Jews generally is the infringement which the Christian doctrine of Trinity seems to make upon the pure monotheism of Judaism. Latter-day Saints, as indicated in the last chapter, believe in three Gods -- the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. In that sense we differ from Judaism and also from most Christians, who try to make these Three into One. Latter-day Saints also believe that men may learn, in the long course of eternity, to become perfect "even as your Father in heaven is perfect." The goal of human life is Godward; it is for man to realize his full nature as a child of God. In the endless time which lies ahead, many good and noble children of God may come to understand this and be like their Creator and Father, so they will truly be sons of God, and grow in the direction of his likeness. It might appear to the reader at this point the Latter-day Saints are not monotheistic in belief, but rather polytheistic. But this is not so. GOD -- THE SUPREME INTELLIGENCE We are monotheistic in the sense that we believe that God, our Father, is unique, for he is the Supreme Intelligence in the universe, greater than the Son, greater than the Holy Ghost, greater than all other intelligent beings. In a revelation to Abraham, recorded in Latter-day Saint scripture, we read: “These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.” (Abraham 3:19) “And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless? “And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. “Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth. “And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and all things are present with me, for I know them all.” (Moses 1:3-6) This passage and the entire chapter which follows, while acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and co-Creator, with the Father, of the earth and of his continuous and unending creation, places no limitations on God. For “there is no God beside me” and “there is no end to my works.” We acknowledge God, the Father, to be the Supreme God of the universe. There is no mention in the Bible or in other Latter-day Saint scripture of any Gods above him or beside him. Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are Gods working under him and with him. Men who attain a God-like character and stature will also share in his glory and work, but he will ever be God in a unique and supreme sense. The recognition of God as the Supreme Intelligence and Being satisfies the mind. From all that men can learn about the universe and life, it appears that all things are intimately related in an orderly and law abiding way. The very universe appears to be one in its organization, orderliness, and the inter-dependence of all of its parts. Nature appears to be unified. It responds to man’s thinking as though it were itself the product of a great mind. We believe that this great mind is God, as is so beautifully expressed in revelations to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “All kingdoms have a law given; “And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. “And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. “All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. “For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things. “He comprehendeth all things, and all things are before him, and all things are round about him; and he is above all things, and in all things, and is through all things, and is round about all things; and all things are by him, and of him, even God, forever and ever. “And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons; “And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets. “And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years -- all these are one year with God, but not with man. “The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God. “Unto what shall I liken these kingdoms, that ye may understand? “Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power.” (D&C 88:36-47 Jesus Christ has come to share in the work of God and in the influence and power of his intelligence to such an extent that the light of Christ and the Spirit of God are used interchangeably in some passages of scripture: “He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; “Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. “As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; “As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; “And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; “Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space -- “The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.” (D&C 88:6-13) We have faith in one Supreme Being. He is our Creator and Eternal Father. His intelligence permeates the universe and sustains it. All human beings are his children and are objects of his care and concern. He is indeed our Ideal, our Guide, our Helper. To him we can give freely of our loyalty and devotion. He is in every way adequate to his purpose and his position. HIS ENDLESS CREATION From a vision given to Moses, and revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we gain some idea of the unlimited extent of the creations of God which still continue and which are wrought through the power of the Son. The Lord had shown Moses many lands, called earths, with inhabitants thereon. Moses had inquired as to the Lord’s purpose in his vast creation. Here is the answer in part: “And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. “And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten. “And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many. “But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them. “And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content. “And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine. “And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come, and there is no end to my works, neither to my words. “For behold, this is my work and my glory -- to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:32-39)18 18Note also 2 Nephi 29, especially verse 9. The Latter-day Saint view is theistic. God is not identical with nature (pantheism); nor is he outside of and wholly apart from nature (deism). He is the great Intelligence, a living, personal Being, who is continuously organizing and creating to bring to pass his great purpose – that of developing personalities, that of “bringing to pass the immortality and eternal (God-like) life of men.” Jesus Christ is helping him to achieve this great and unselfish purpose in the lives of men.19 19We shall enlarge upon this purpose in Chapter 9. CHAPTER 7 GOD’S CHARACTER The scriptures are not philosophical treatises nor systematic theological texts. They leave us with many questions about God and his relationship to man and the universe. Writers of scripture assume God’s existence. They know it through immediate experience, by intuition and by revelation. Their chief interest has been practical – the religious and moral life of man, or man’s relationship to God and to fellow man. To build a satisfactory relationship to God and to man it is important to understand his character. In this the scriptures are not lacking. Some attributes of God are stated repeatedly. Granted our faith in his existence, we can be sure of his character within our capacity to know the meaning of his divine attributes. We shall draw upon the Bible and Latter-day Saint scripture to illustrate certain traits of his character. GOD IS JUST AND IMPARTIAL We can rely absolutely on the fairness and justice of God. Our own reason and moral nature bear witness to this fact, for how can we who believe in justice, worship or honor a being who is not just and fair, and who is not impartial in his dealings and impartiality of God. Jesus bears witness thereto: “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; “And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” (John 5:26-30) Peter learned of God’s impartiality toward both Jew and Gentile. It was a dramatic lesson Peter learned, and it took a little time for him to grasp its full import. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34-35) After Paul’s conversion to Christ, there was never any doubt in his mind about God’s impartial interest in all men. “But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. … “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; “But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: “For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:2, 9-11) “For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12-13) “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:11) The story of Jonah, which reveals the Lord’s mercy toward repentant Gentiles in that great and wicked city of Nineveh, is perhaps the finest witness of God’s impartiality in the Old Testament. The Book of Mormon is unequivocal and forceful in its statements on God’s equal regard for all men. We quote a few passages from Nephi: “Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.” (1 Nephi 17:35) “For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. “Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. “Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden. “For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.” (2 Nephi 26:23, 24, 27, 28, 33) Another Book of Mormon author, Jacob, writes: “Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.” (Jacob 2:17) “Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him who created all flesh? And the one being is as precious in his sight as the other. And all flesh is of the dust; and for the selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his commandments and glorify him forever.” (Jacob 2:21) “But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king.” (Mosiah 23:7) Latter-day Saints believe that all men are the children of a just God who loves them all. He has no favorites. He is doing all in his power to be a blessing and a help to all men.20 20The reasons for so much inequality of opportunity and capacity among men will be suggested in an ensuing chapter. It is not God’s work nor his will, we firmly believe. GOD IS LOVING, MERCIFUL, FORGIVING It is evident to any believer in Jesus or the Prophets that God not only just but is also kind, merciful, and forgiving. A few illustrations should suffice to remind the reader of this fact. Isaiah, after condemning Israel in her sins with force and without equivocation, interjected a beautiful tone of mercy and forgiveness following a plea for repentance. “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” (Isaiah 1:16-19)21 21Note also Hosea 14; Ezekiel 18; Isaiah 55. Jesus, in his own life as well as in his teaching, helped us all to know the love of God. The sinner was the object of divine love as much as was the righteous. “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? “And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48) A MODERN WITNESS OF GOD’S MERCY The doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strengthen and amplify our faith in the justice and mercy of God. They remove stumbling blocks to this faith and show how his justice and love are working in the interest of men. (The reader will have to exercise some patience until this can be shown, because our full doctrine cannot be developed in a single chapter.) One or two general observations and illustrations can be given here which bear witness to God’s justice and mercy. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, it is written: “For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; “Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven; “And he that repents not, from him shall be taken even the light which he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with man, saith the Lord of Hosts. “And again, verily I say unto you, O inhabitants of the earth: I the Lord am willing to make these things known unto all flesh; “For I am no respecter of persons, and will that all men shall know that the day speedily cometh; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand, when peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion.” (D&C 1:31-35) God’s love and mercy are shown in the Latter-day Saint doctrines concerning life after death. Through the ages men have talked of heaven and hell, the latter having been described as a place burning with fire and brimstone, where the wicked would suffer eternal damnation. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, it is explained that eternal punishment does not mean endless or everlasting punishment, but rather God’s punishment, he being an eternal being. Likewise, eternal damnation does not mean everlasting damnation, but rather the condemnation of God.22 22See Doctrine and Covenants 19:1-21. Our Father in heaven loves all men. His desire, like that of his Son, is not to condemn the children of men, but to lead them into paths of truth and righteousness. He does not, in anger, thrust them down to hell. Hell, as the Book of Mormon teaches, is a condition of the mind, a state of remorse and torment, which follows naturally from shallow and immoral living, from being out of harmony with the laws of God, which are also the laws of life, the laws of our own natures. Well did Jeremiah say of ancient Judah and her wickedness: “Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.” (Jeremiah 6:19) “Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jeremiah 7:19) Latter-day Saint teachings bear witness again and again to the impartiality and love of God toward all of his children. Here we can only mention a few ore illustrations of these attributes of God. In later lessons they will be developed more fully. According to our doctrine, the unbaptized infant is not damned but is saved in the Celestial Kingdom of God by the redeeming grace of Christ. Likewise, the heathen and those who have died without knowing the laws of God are not lost, “For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law.” (Moroni 8:22) All men will have opportunity to hear the Gospel of Christ, to understand, accept, and live by its life-giving principles. If the opportunity is not forthcoming here, then it will be in the life to come. All men will receive a degree of salvation commensurate with their desires, their faith, and their good works. This is the divine will and plan. GOOD AND EVIL As we live out our days on the earth, we experience much that is good and much that is evil. Different individuals, moreover, experience good and evil in varying amounts and, it would seem, not always according to their merit. Jesus recognized this fact when he said: “… for he (the Father) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:45) And again when he contrasted the two lives – one built upon his teachings, or a rock, and one built upon his teachings, but on sand – he said of both “And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;” (See Matthew 7:24-29) The righteous are not spared from evil. They, too, suffer from cancer, become involved in war and accidents, and suffer evil from their fellow men in countless ways. Religion gives them the hope, courage, and love with which to meet the vicissitudes of life. That is their blessings. EVIL IS REAL We accept the reality of evil. Evil is not an illusion, a figment of the imagination. Human suffering and pain are real whether they come from natural or human causes. Cancer causes great suffering and so does a drunken, brutal, or unfaithful husband. Hitler’s concentration camps were real, and the agony experienced there was as real as any joy of life. Evil we might define as anything which hinders, frustrates, and prohibits our realization of a Christ-like life. Ignorance and sin are our greatest evils, the source of nearly all others. GOD IS GOOD Good we might define as anything which builds life, which helps men to realize the purpose of life – to find joy and lasting happiness through living in harmony with the will of God. Health, beauty, wisdom, sincerity, humility, and love we look upon as being good because they mean life- fulfillment on a Christ-like plane. It is the teaching of the Latter-day Saints that God is not the author nor the creator of evil. He is wholly good in both intent and action. Therefore, he promotes only that which is good among the children of men. This we would except, judging by his other attributes of character -- his justice, mercy, love, and fatherhood. Let us in the remaining paragraphs of this chapter give evidence of this assertion. Jesus thought of the Father as being good: “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.” (Mark 10:18) He contrasts the character of the Father with men’s evil nature: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: “For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. “Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11) James is quite explicit in removing from God the responsibility for moral evil. “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. “Do not err, my beloved brethren. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:12-17) The Book of Mormon is most emphatic in its rejection of the idea that God might be responsible for evil: “Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.” (Jacob 4:10) “Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually. “But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God. “Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.” (Moroni 7:12-14)23 23Note also 2 Nephi 26:23-33 and Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 69, 70. Latter-day Saints acknowledge the goodness of God. We are grateful to him for every good gift of life and for life itself. We visualize him as a Being who is working ceaselessly to bring about that which is good in the lives of men. He is not hateful, revengeful, jealous, or the object of fear as we know these passions in human experience. Hate and revenge are not consistent with Christian love as revealed in Jesus Christ, and “God also is love.” It is one of his great attributes. Jealousy in human experience is mixed with hate and is rooted in feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. God does not hate his children; neither does he feel inferior to any person or object. The evil in life is not due to God, but to other factors – to the eternal nature of the elements and to the eternal and free nature of man. These we shall deal with in ensuing chapters. To know that God is wholly good enables us to love him with all our hearts, minds, and souls. We can trust him. Such a God invites our deepest gratitude, our complete loyalty, our full devotion and adoration. With him we can keep faith and aspire with all of our power to serve him. PART 3 THE LATTER-DAY SAINT DOCTRINE OF MAN (COMPRISING CHAPTERS 8 TO 11) CHAPTER 8 THE NATURE OF MAN We have by no means exhausted our study of God, but we feel at this point the need to discuss some of the basic doctrines concerning man, because an understanding of the nature of man will further enhance our understanding and appreciation of God. In this chapter we shall tell the story of the entire life of man as understood by the Latter-day Saints. The story will be brief and will raise questions without answering them fully; but this over-all view is needed and may furnish a helpful background for a more detailed discussion of some of the fundamental doctrines of man. MAN IS ETERNAL Most Christians, when they contemplate the origin of man’s life, recall the verse in Genesis which reads: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) According to this generally accepted view, the existence of each of us as a person began with our creation or birth on earth. Eternal life, to most Christians, means that man, whose life began at birth, will survive death and live everlastingly. The word eternaI, however, means more than life everlasting. Eternal means without beginning or end. Latter-day Saints believe that man is eternal in the full meaning of the word. We recognize, of course, that life on earth has a beginning and an end. We recognize, of course, that life on earth has a beginning and an end. We believe, however, that just as the spirit survives death, it also precedes birth; that man lived before he was born in the flesh. The idea that we lived before we were born on the earth may be difficult at first to grasp or to accept. We are accustomed to experiencing life in terms of beginnings and endings. The sun rises and sets; the seasons come and go; civilizations rise and fall; creatures are born and die. The concept of eternity – no beginning or end – may be foreign to the everyday consciousness of many people. This fact does not make the idea impossible or unreasonable. For centuries men of science have believed that the universe in which we live, “matter,” “energy,” “the elements,” or whatever we choose to call its essence, is eternal, without beginning; and that it is simply characterized by change. Religious men, including writers of scripture, have spoken of God as a Being “without beginning of days or end of years.” If both the universe and God are eternal, is it beyond reason to believe that there is something in man, in each of us, that is also eternal? Latter-day Saint scripture bears witness to the eternal nature of man’s intelligence. “Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (D&C 93:29) “Howbeit that he made the greater star; as, also, if there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.” (Abraham 3:18) These scriptures clearly indicate that there is something in each of us and in every human being, an original intelligent nature, which is self-existent, not created by God, but rather co-eternal with him. God and men are both eternal intelligences, members of a vast society of eternal beings. This doctrine need not detract from our appreciation of God nor from his creative role in our lives. For in this society God is “more intelligent than they all.” And because of his vastly superior knowledge and benevolent character he is our God, our guide, ideal, teacher, leader and Father, and is guiding man in his journey to eternal life. God is seeking to develop, enlarge, and bring to full self-realization the souls of men, for he has declared: “… this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) Little is known about our eternal, intelligent nature, but it is clearly indicated that free agency is part of man’s original nature. “All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. “Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.” (D&C 93:30-31) Free agency is not a gift of God in the ultimate sense; it is part of man’s very eternal nature. God, who is also a free agent, and who knows the meaning and worth of freedom, is doing everything in his power to guard, vouchsafe, and increase the freedom of men. He is on the side of freedom, and he respects it as innate and essential to man’s eternal nature. He who works to diminish or destroy the freedom of man is an enemy to God because freedom is inherent in man and essential to the realization of his purpose in life. If man, in his original state, had capacity for freedom, he may well have had other powers of mind and a measure of individuality. We do not know more of this original state of man. The implications of this doctrine of the eternal and free nature of man are significant. This doctrine means that God did not create man in a complete and ultimate sense of the word. God “found” intelligence and the elements24 already in existence. He took what he had, what was available, and proceeded from that point to create or organize man and, out of his great love and wisdom, to do everything possible for him. God is, therefore, not completely responsible for man and the universe in which man lives. Man, too, is responsible because of his eternal and free nature. God is not the author of evil; evil lies in the nature of the elements and in man’s ignorance and immoral choices. (We shall develop this thought more fully in a later chapter.) Let us proceed with the story of man’s eternal life. A chart may help. THE ETERNAL LIFE OF MAN Pre-earth life Earth-life Post-earth life Intelligenc e Spirit- child of God A mortal A spirit A resurrected being 24See D&C 93:33. MAN BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD Sometimes during our pre-earth life the eternal, uncreated intelligence of man entered a new stage of existence. It became a spirit-child of God the Eternal Father. Thus did man enter a new relationship with the greatest Intelligence and Character in the universe. God added to man’s original nature something of his own divine nature. Man became, in embryo, more God- like in nature and aspiration. More is known of this stage of man’s existence than is known of his original intelligent state. Man is now, without question, a social being, a free agent among other free agents. In this state of his existence he is a conscious, thinking, moral agent capable of spiritual and moral growth. Leaders emerge among these vast numbers of spirits, among whom Jesus Christ is pre-eminent. In a revelation to Abraham, given through Joseph Smith, we read: “Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; “And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. “And there stood one among them that was like unto God, …” (Abraham 3:22-24) When youthful Jeremiah, prophet to the Kingdom of Judah in the Seventh Century BC, hesitated to accept the prophetic calling, the word of the Lord came to him, saying: “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5) Latter-day Saints, believing in the eternal nature of man, have interpreted this passage as meaning that God knew Jeremiah as his spirit-child in the pre-earth life and that Jeremiah was foreordained (not predestined) by his character and life in the pre-earth existence to assume the role of prophet during mortality. How do we know that man lived, a spirit-child of God, before he was born in the flesh? The passage just quoted from Jeremiah and others which imply the pre-existence of men may be interpreted also as meaning God’s foreknowledge rather than man’s pre-existence. A pre-earth life for man, we acknowledge, cannot be clearly and indubitably established by the Bible, although it is strongly intimated by this wonderful but incomplete record of God’s inspiration and revelation to man. The Gospel of John leaves no question about the pre-earth existence of Jesus Christ. (See John 1:1; 6:38, 62; 8:56-58 and 17:3-5) An indication of Jewish belief in pre-existence is indicated in the question put to Jesus on the following occasion: “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. “And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:1-2) The distinction between our mortal and spiritual creation is made in Hebrews, although the time of our spiritual creation is not mentioned: “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” (Hebrews 12:9) This Latter-day Saint teaching concerning the pre-earth life of man and his relationship to Deity is clearly established through Latter-day revelation. The Church invites everyone to evaluate the doctrine on its own merit. If it does not contradict any fundamental teaching of the Bible, and if it gives new enhanced value and meaning to man’s life and to his relationship to God, then it is deserving of serious consideration. In summary, it can be said of man before he was born in the flesh that he was an eternal intelligence with capacity for freedom and the moral life. He then became a child of God with God-like qualities enriching his original nature. In his pre-earth life as a child of God, he lived a purposeful existence with other persons like himself. Knowledge was gained and choices were made as man was given opportunity to fulfill the measure of his spiritual creation. EARTH LIFE Man’s life on earth is no accident. It is not the product of chance, of blind, impersonal forces operating in their own power. Man’s life on earth is the planned and purposeful work of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saint scriptures throw interesting and increased light on the beautiful Biblical account of creation. While we were still living with God in our pre-earth state, the Father and Son planned the mortal life of man with our knowledge and hearty approval. It is written: “And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; “And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; “And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.” (Abraham 3:24-26) The exact manner or detailed process of the creation of the earth and man’s life on the earth is not told. We do not know just how God created man, nor when, nor how long it took. These are details which are not given clearly in scripture and which are not important compared with the great religious principles and facts taught in the creation story. We subscribe to the wisdom of the late Anthony W. Ivins, a member of the First Presidency of the Church: “The word of God recorded is never given as a hypothesis, but as a definite fact. In relation to the creation, the word declares that: ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth … And God said, Let us make man in our image after our likeness … So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.’ The exact process by which this was accomplished, we do not know, nor is it essential that we know it, the fact is sufficient, and it will never be disproved by scientific research or otherwise, because it is the truth.” (Conference Report, October 1925, pp. 19-28) With the author of Proverbs, we are assured that God is Creator and there is, therefore, divine wisdom and meaning in man’s life on earth. In him is our confidence and our trust. “The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. “By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. “My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: “So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. “When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. “Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh. “For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” (Proverbs 3:19-26) Man was placed on the earth to learn, to grow in moral and spiritual stature, to develop the God-like qualities of his life. We are here to be tested, to prove ourselves, to walk by faith, to use our free agency and increase in freedom, to learn how to live with one another, to be a blessing to one another, and an aid to each other’s growth and development. As Latter-day Saints we affirm life. We accept it as being purposeful and potentially good. It was no accident. It is not meaningless. “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy,” declares the Book of Mormon.25 252 Nephi 2:25. A specific purpose of earth-life, within and contributing to the larger purpose of man’s spiritual growth, is the obtaining of a mortal body. Our mortal natures gives us unique opportunities for moral and spiritual growth. It enables us to have children, to be creative partners with Deity in the development of personality. It also affords opportunities to develop our social and moral natures, to exercise free agency and self-control, and to learn in ways unique to mortality. Furthermore, we believe that in the resurrection we shall have claim on this mortal body “which corruption,” to quote Paul, “must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:53) With a resurrected, tangible, and spiritual body, man has the capacity for a fullness of life in the “eternities” to come. “For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy; “And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy.” (D&C 93:33-34) The receiving of a mortal body is a preparation for man’s highest and fullest nature as a resurrected being. The Gospel plan of life was to be given man to guide him in his earth-life. Jesus Christ himself would reveal it to his prophets, and would come to earth to persuade men to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Man’s free agency would be respected; love, even sacrificial love, would be relied upon to win men’s hearts and minds to the will of God. LIFE AFTER DEATH He that is born of woman must die. In the beautiful words of Job: “Man that is born of woman is of few days, and full of trouble. “He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” Job 14:1-3) This is the realistic and somewhat cynical view. Life may not only be full of trouble, it may also be full of joy; but it is as fragile as a flower or as a beautiful piece of china. The apparent great tragedy of life is that it must come to an end through old age and death, or even be cut down in youth as a rosebud is plucked in a garden without its own consent. The apparent tragedy of life is greatly tempered by our Christian faith that though a man die, he shall live again. To the believing Latter-day Saint, death is simply the separation of spirit and body. The body returns to dust, to the elements from whence it came. The spirit returns to God who gave it life, to be judged by him. When Christ hung on the cross between the two malefactors, the one, pentitent and recognizing the glory of the Savior, said “… Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (See Luke 23:39-43) Jesus Christ, while his body lay in the sepulchre, went to the spirit-world and brought a message of hope and salvation to men like the malefactor and to others, as is attested by Peter: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.” (1 Peter 3:18-20) “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (1 Peter 4:6) Latter-day Saints believe that life in the spirit-world, a time between death and the resurrection, is also a meaningful, purposeful stage in man’s eternal life. The Book of Mormon teaches that the righteous will enjoy a condition of peace called Paradise; those who have done evil and wasted their probation in mortality will suffer remorse and anguish, the natural fruit of shallow and evil living.26 Their lot is not hopeless, however. They are not condemned to eternal punishment. A God of mercy and love would have no pleasure in such a fate. During the spirit-state, many will teach the Gospel to the spirit-children of God and give them an opportunity to exercise faith unto repentance and to accept the Gospel, be forgiven, and to continue their eternal life on a plane of purposeful and spiritual living. 26See Alma 40. The final state of man, already alluded to in this chapter, is the resurrected state. All the gains of man’s previous life will rise with him in the resurrection. “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. “And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” (D&C 130:18-19) All men will be resurrected, the just and the unjust, and will receive a glory and a new opportunity commensurate with their desire and the quality of their living. Only those who are utterly dead “as to things pertaining unto righteousness,” who have lost all power of faith and repentance, will be lost. The rest of mankind has a future, one that may become increasingly meaningful and fruitful, depending on man’s own desire and effort. CONCLUSION In the Latter-day Saint story of man’s life there is challenge and promise. Life is potentially good and purposeful. God and Christ are doing everything in their power “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal (God-like) life of man.” Man, too, is a free and moral agent, responsible in good measure for his own progress, and also for the welfare of his fellow men. He possesses a great capacity for intelligent and righteous living. He will never be content nor happy except as he learns to realize his full nature as an eternal intelligence and a child of God. The next few lessons will deal in more detail with some of the important doctrines concerning the life and nature of man. CHAPTER 9 THE PURPOSE OF LIFE Life with its opportunity to learn, to create, to know friends and loved ones, to see and feel beauty, to play, laugh, and work, is a priceless possession. It should be spent for the highest possible good. To live out our days on earth, be they few or many, with fullest meaning, we must discover that which is most worth while and then pursue it with all our hearts and minds. No doubt we have all observed that life is most significant when we are working for definite goals and is most confusing in prolonged states of worry and indecision. When we play an interesting game, plan for marriage, build a home, take a vacation trip, or begin an exciting new job, life is zestful. If single and limited goals bring adventure and meaning to us, think how a single, all-inclusive goal would unify and give significance to the whole adventure of living! We crave such unity and exhilaration. Jesus recognized this need when he warned us against pursuit of any partial, limited goal which would not satisfy or save a man’s soul: “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37) Religion should offer to man a satisfactory explanation of the purpose of his life. It should give to him a goal which he can understand and incorporate into his daily life to serve him as a guide in all his thinking and action. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers to man a most inspiring and challenging interpretation of the purpose and meaning of his life. It is indicated in scripture. Jesus said: “… I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11) “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) These and similar passage clearly reveal the Savior’s acceptance of earth- life and his great desire that men would come to live it fully, richly, and more perfectly. Two Latter-day Saint scriptures tie in beautifully with the passages quoted above. The first, from the Book of Mormon, reads: “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25) The second, from the Pearl of Great Price reads: “For behold, this is my work and my glory – to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39) LIFE-AFFIRMATION “Men are that they might have joy.” Christ came to teach men how to live, that mortality might prove to be a rich and rewarding experience. Religion is not here to save us from eternal hell nor simply to lead us to heavenly bliss. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan of life, which, if lived, will help us to satisfy our needs as children of the earth and as children of God. It will lead us to self-realization and self-fulfillment. Life will increase in power, meaning, and satisfaction as we learn to live as Christ and our Father wish and ask us to do. The goal of life does not lie outside of man, in his possessions, or in some external reward. Man does not exist, as some have taught, simply to glorify God. The purpose of our existence lies within us. What we seek is more life, more abundant life, the realization of our highest powers and our noblest desires. GOD – OUR IDEAL Life at its best, in its fullest and highest development, in its ideal, is the life we seek. The greatest life in the universe is the life of God. His glory is intelligence and great is his wisdom. He is just and impartial, merciful, forgiving, and loving. He is creative, ever bringing into being new things after the image of his own mind and heart. His glory is to serve others, to see his children grow in moral and spiritual stature, to see them increase in knowledge and wisdom, in justice and mercy, and become more free and creative. God wishes to share with us the richness and goodness of life which are his for. “… this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) The word eternal has two meanings: (1) In the previous chapter we noted that eternal means without beginning or end. This is the quantitative meaning of the word. We noted that both God and the intelligence of man are eternal, without beginning or end. (2) The word eternal also has a qualitative meaning as it is often used in scripture. It means a God-like fire. God is eternal in both a quantitative and qualitative sense. His life is everlasting, and it is also wholy righteous and fruitful for good. Man’s life is everlasting, but it lacks quality as we know it now. We need to overcome ignorance and sin and become more like our Father in heaven, to grow into his likeness, for he is the Person in whose image we were made. We are his children and have partaken of his nature. And, while there is a vast difference between him and us in degree, still we are like him in kind. Out of his great love he is trying to lead us to the abundant life which is his, revealed to us in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ. A wise and loving earthly parent desires only the happiness of his children. He knows, too, that this can come only as they develop in mind and character and learn to live useful and productive lives in society. Their joy is his joy; their glory is his glory. So it is with God. Men wee not created simply to serve God. Men are that they might have joy, the lasting and increasing joy which comes from God-like or Christ-like living. God’s joy and glory is to lead us, his children along the path of righteous, joyous living. NO ORIGINAL SIN NOR ASCETICISM Latter-day Saints reject the idea of original sin, the doctrine that all men share in the guilt of Adam, inheriting his sin, being therefore evil and depraved by nature. We believe that Adam was a noble son of God, not a sinner. He chose to come to earth to take upon himself mortality and a knowledge of good and evil that he might enjoy the great opportunitites of growth which earth-life affords. Through Adam we, too inherit mortality and death – and also a knowledge of good and evil, a chance to rise or fall. Adam fulfilled his mission well. He did, according to our belief, what God wished him to do and what needed to be done. Earth-life is a stage of potential progress for us in our quest for joy and eternal life. Latter-day Saints also reject every form of escape from the basic satisfactions of life. This type of life is usually called asceticism, a word taken from the Greek language, which originally applied to the rigid training of athletes for the Olympic games. In the history of religion there have been two types of asceticism practiced: (1) Otherworldly asceticism is that type of self-denial which leads a person to flee the usual pleasures and associations of men and to live as a hermit or more commonly as a monk or nun. Many sincere and highly dedicated men and women have felt, and still feel, that love of God is incompatible with marriage, business, and other responsibilities and pleasures of our mundane existence. The highest goal for them is a life of service and meditation with persons of their own sex under strict discipline. (2) Worldly asceticism is a name given to extreme forms of Puritanism which characterized the life of many Protestant groups in Western Europe and New England. The Puritan did not flee from society by entering a monastery. He remained in the world but not of the world. He became “a monk in the world.” The Puritan married and entered energetically into business, but never wholly accepted human nature and its capacity for joyous life. Man was essentially depraved and evil was by nature, according to this Puritan view. The man-woman relationship was more of a necessary evil than wonderful opportunity for personality fulfillment through love, creation, and service. MAN IS INNOCENT – LIFE IS POTENTIALLY GOOD A revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants to the Prophet Joseph Smith reads: “Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God.” (D&C 93:38) Man comes into the world innocent of any guilt, sinfulness, or depravity. He comes as a child of God with divine-like attributes in his human nature. Moreover, the Spirit of God and of Christ enlightens every person who is born in the world to incline him toward the good. Man, being a free agent, may choose good or evil. Living among other free agents, he is strongly influenced by others in this choice. Before we “lay this mortal by” most of us have chosen rather generously of both good and evil. But, and this is the important point, man is not basically evil by nature. If anything, he is, under the influence of his Maker, inclined to do good rather than evil. And he is here to learn to do good and thereby to find joy. This he will find as he learns to live in harmony with the will and attributes of his Creator and grows in his God-like potentiality. A passage from the Book of Mormon illustrates that evil comes from ignoring our true goal, and joy comes from living in harmony with the will of God: “But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Helaman 13:38) And two other verses in the Book of Mormon express the same idea: “… Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness ... “… and they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.” (See Alma 41:10-11) Latter-day Saints are life-affirming; they accept life as being good. Earth- life was designed and created by the Father through the Son for the development and happiness of man. Things did not get off to a wrong start, but essentially as God had planned it. Mortality is not a curse, but a blessing. With the Hebrews of old and the Jews of this day, we believe that “Cursed is the ground for thy sake.” (Genesis 3:17) that “it is not good that the man should be alone … Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:18, 24) We believe in work and play, in marriage and family life, in song and dance, in eating and drinking of the good things of the earth. All of these things are to be enjoyed “with prudence and thanksgiving”27 and in such a way that they are consistent with the development of Christian character, for without this they become of no worth and even evil. Latter-day scriptures give voice to this attitude of joyous acceptance toward life. 27Doctrine and Covenants 89. “… whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man.” (D&C 49:15) “… whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance.” (D&C 49:18, 19) “… all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man -- “Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; … “Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, … nevertheless they are (the latter) to be used sparingly; … “All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, …” (Excerpts from Doctrine and Covenants 89) SAME PURPOSE HERE AND HEREAFTER This search for joy and happiness through self-realization toward a God-like life is not unique to earth-experience. While we do not know very much about either our pre-earth or post-earth life sketched in the last chapter, one thing seems clear: the basic purpose of life remains essentially the same in all stages of our eternal existence. While yet in our pre-earth state, we were exercising free-agency, developing character, learning to live in harmony with divine law. The purpose of life can be realized in a real measure here. Salvation is going on now; it need not wait for the heaven to come. A Book of Mormon passage assures us of this: “Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.” (Alma 34:31) When we die and enter the spirit-world there will be further opportunity for men to realize their best natures. Faith, repentance, acceptance of Christ, service to one’s fellow men and like experiences await those who will exercise their free agency and seek after these joy-bringing experiences. In the final resurrected state of man we are assured, in a Latter-day Saint revelation, “… spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy.” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33) In this glorious state men may become “just men made perfect,” even sons of God, to receive of his fulness and of his glory, and to share increasingly throughout eternity in the intelligent, creative, and loving life and work of their Eternal Father. The same great purpose of joyous self-realization runs throughout the entire life of man. It is God’s purpose and glory; it is also man’s need and desire. God’s purpose in our lives and our own real need are one and the same, though man does not always know this and often fails to cooperate with his Maker. NOT A SELFISH PURPOSE The point of view developed in this chapter may appear selfish and man- centered to many devoted Christians who are trained to think and feel that the religious life is one devoted wholly to God. “Mormonism” may seem like humanism to them.28 Let us, in closing, qualify our position and thereby perhaps allay some criticism of this position. 28By humanism is meant the supremacy of man and a cultivation of the highest human values without faith in God. The joy we seek for ourselves we also seek for others and with equal or greater intent and effort. All men are children of the earth and children of our Heavenly Father. We would not be disciples of Christ or children of God if we did not seek the happiness of all men with greater urgency than our own. There is a good balance in the religion of the Latter-day Saints between emphasis on the dignity and worth of the individual and his responsibility for the welfare of others. This should become apparent as our course of study develops. While we believe God’s purpose is to serve man, we also believe it is our privilege and great need to serve God. This is a wonderful state – Deity loving man, man loving Deity, the result being increased joy and self- realization for both. “Mormonism” includes much that belongs to humanism, but it also transcends the latter in that God is our ideal, Christ is our standard, and we are striving to help men realize the character of God as well as all that is good in human nature. Finally, joy is not a direct goal. Some of the most miserable people in the world are those who are searching for happiness, particularly by direct route with hands folded. Joy is a by-product of creative and righteous living, of integrity, creativeness, and love. Growth and self-realization are likewise products of other goals. Hence the wisdom of Jesus’ statement: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35) CHAPTER 10 MAN IS FREE Joshua, who had succeeded Moses as leader of Israel and had found it equally difficult to keep the Israelites loyal to their faith, called his people together shortly before his death to make one last plea. It was in the nature of a choice: “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:14-15) This freedom to choose lies at the heart of religion. Biblical prophets preach repentance on the assumption that man is a responsible, moral person. Nearly all of the religions of mankind teach that man has freedom of choice in some measure. Latter-day Saints are more explicit and definite in their doctrine of the free agency of man. All of our teachings, the whole plan of salvation, depends upon and respects this fundamental doctrine of the Church. We read in modern day revelation: “For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. “Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; “For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58:26- 28) “Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual.” (D&C 29:35) The Book of Mormon is particularlye xplicit and positive in its assertion that man is a free agent: “Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.” (2 Nephi 2:16) “And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given. “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:26-27) “And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free. “He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.” (Helaman 14:30-31) THE MEANING OF FREEDOM There are two closely related words which need to be distinguished from one another: free agency and freedom. Both are used frequently and sometimes interchangeably, but they are not identical. Free agency is the capacity or the potential ability to determine the course of one’s life. A free agent is not governed entirely by external causes or agencies. He himself directs his life in some measure as he lives it. He has the power to choose among given alternatives. He acts and is not simply acted upon. A free agent has initiative, is creative, and therefore plays a truly significant role in his own destiny. Freedom is not the same thing as free agency. We are all free agents but we are not all free, certainly not equally so. Freedom means our actual opportunities and our actual ability to choose what we shall do, to make choices. Freedom has to be learned, achieved, and guarded. It may increase or decrease, be gained or lost. It is something very specific. We may be free in some ways and bound in others. We are born with free agency. This, latently at least, is part of human nature, an aspect of the mind of man. Freedom, however, is acquired; it is wrought from “blood, sweat, and tears”29 and varies greatly from person to person, people to people, and in the lifetime of the same individual or the same people. Freedom is something quite specific and definite, as we shall illustrate shortly. 29To quote Sir Winston Churchill. LIMITATIONS ON FREEDOM No man is completely free. There are limitations on his freedom. The first limitation is the world in which he lives, the conditions and laws which obtain in the world of nature. Man is not free to live forever as a mortal being, much as he might like to do so. He must die some time, at least that is human experience to date. Man cannot do without food, drink, and air for long, and still live. His choices are greatly curtailed in a sense by the world in which he lives. He must choose among given opportunities and realize his freedom under conditions which obtain on the earth. Man’s freedom is greatly limited by his ignorance of the conditions and laws of life. Ignorance narrows man’s field of choice, causes him to make serious blunders, cramps his spirit with superstition and fear. Ignorance of nature, of ourselves, and of our relations with man and God restricts us greatly in our choices and in the realization of our self-chosen goals. Sin is a third limitation on our actual freedom.30 To sin is to consciously or knowingly fail to conform our lives to that which we know to be right. Sin is a weakness or failure in us which prevents us from making the choice we know we ought to make. We are acquainted with a man who knows he should work and support his wife and family. Somehow he cannot bring himself to do this. He is lazy, shiftless, irresponsible. This weakness robs him of the freedoms that would come through work – namely, increased self-respect, finer human relations, and the ability to acquire things which money will buy. 30The subject of sin will be treated at length in a later chapter. We are limited in our freedom by the co-existence of other free agents like ourselves. We suffer from their ignorance and sins. Our own behavior is curtailed by their rights. The state is the great legislator of many human rights and freedoms. The Constitution of the United States of America and those of many democratic countries of our time guarantees men certain inalienable, God-given rights such as the freedom to worship, to assemble, and to vote. We have seen, in our own day how tragically and quickly a people such as the freedom-loving Hungarians can be refused their civil liberties. A person who is unhappily married, living in a state of fear, hate, and contention, discovers that he has not gained freedom through marriage, but has become encumbered with restrictions and obligations which he did not know as a single man. Marriage may either increase or decrease one’s total freedom or specific freedoms, depending on the quality and tone of it. AVENUES OF FREEDOM Just as ignorance limits one’s freedom, blocking one’s path with error, superstition and fear, knowledge may increase freedom by throwing light on one’s path and by removing error and superstition. A knowledge of germ theory of disease, gained first by Louis Pasteur of France, has done much to eliminate fear and superstition in relation to many diseases. Knowledge of the shape of the earth, verified by the voyages of Columbus and Magellan, freed the minds and hearts of men to sail the seven seas. A knowledge of how to print has made learning available to the masses. It also placed the Bible in the hands of the common people in their own language. Jesus said: “… to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free.” (John 8:31-32) Jesus made available to mankind a greater understanding of the character of God and the nature of man. He taught us how to live with peace of mind, faith and love, free from fear, hate, lust, greed, hypocrisy and other shackles which hinder and frustrate us in our quest for a full and creative life. Just as sin restricts freedom, self-discipline and righteous living increase it. To be free we must not only know the best course to choose, but we also must have power to make that choice and live in harmony with it. When we fail to do that which we know to be right, we lose self-respect and moral strength, and we dissipate the freedom which we enjoy when mind and action are one, the expression of a unified and whole self. Other people sometimes restrict our freedom, but they may also be a great source of freedom. Man is a social being and realizes his greatest freedom in society. From the past he has inherited a wealth of knowledge, skills, and resources which multiply his choices tremendously. He owes a great debt to scientists, artists, patriots, poets, and prophets, who have made available to him the rich cultural heritage of our time. In the present, men of good will, working in cooperation with each other, may greatly multiply their choices. Capital and labor, fighting each other as enemies, bring loss of income, production, and accompanying freedoms; but capital and labor, working together, can be mutually helpful and sustaining. Likewise nations, eyeing each other as beasts of prey, are burdened with heavy taxes, indebtedness, distrust, and fear; while nations looking at each other as sister nations in a great commonwealth of nations, would be free to share in the blessings of free trade, atomic energy for peaceful pursuits, and in the fruits of the genius of every people in all the arts and sciences. Think of the feeling of freedom, and also of the specific freedoms which would come to mankind if we had the knowledge and the desire to bring peace and good will among all men. Religion is an avenue to freedom, but only to those who know it in its genuine character. The religious life itself must be free from fear and selfishness to make man free. Religion cannot be lived on the level of fear, fear of hell, fear of life, distrust of self, and even fear of God.31 This does not make men free. Religion cannot be lived on the level of calculation and bargaining, wherein we do things not for their own sake, but for some external reward. Such action brings a reward, as Jesus pointed out in Matthew 6, but not the genuine fruit of religious freedom. Only those are truly free who learn to live their religion as Jesus did and taught – those who worship God “in the spirit and in truth,” who “love God with all their minds, and with all their hearts, and with all their souls,” and “who lose their life for Christ’s sake and the Gospel’s.” 31”Fear God” in scripture meant in the original text, to have awe or respect for God, not fear as the paralyzing emotion we know it in human experience. The religious life should be pure in motive and free and spontaneous in character, the fruit of a loving soul even as one’s love for a flower, a friend, or a loved one is without fear and without thought of reward. Only he who is converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and who learns to live by it without compulsion, and with a glad heart knows the meaning of Christ’s words: “… to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) THE STORY OF MAN’S FREEDOM The religion of the Latter-day Saints not only lays great stress on the freedom of man, but it also throws light on the origin of man’s freedom and the history of his struggle to increase and preserve it. In Chapter Eight, “The Nature of Man,” we described man’s pre-earth life. There we noted that “Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth was not created or made, neither indeed can be.” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:29) Moreover, “All truth is independent in that sphere in which God placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence.” (Doctrine and Covenants 93:20) There is something in man that is uncreated, self-existent, or eternal. We call it intelligence. Part of that intelligence is free agency or man’s capacity, desire, and need to be free. Agency then is part of man’s eternal, uncreated nature. In the second stage of man’s pre-earth life, when we were all spirit children of God, our free agency played a significant role. As Deity planned earth- life for the children of God, the question arose as to who should guide us through this mortal existence and help us to fulfill our purpose here and return to our Father in heaven, having fulfilled the measure of our creation. The second question had to do with the best way to accomplish the purpose of human life. A council was held in which the issue was decided. Ours was the right to accept or reject the plan presented by the Father at this council. Conspicuous among those present at the council was Lucifer, a child of God and apparently a leader among the heavenly host. He came before God and said: “And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying -- Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.” (Moses 4:1; note also verses 2-4) This proposal was rejected by God because Lucifer or Satan “sought to destroy the agency of man” and because he rebelled against God. The details are not given, but it is evident that Lucifer’s plan was contrary to the whole character and spirit of the Gospel. He was vain, ambitious, and interested in his own glory and knew not the Gospel-spirit of service, humility and love. Moreover, his program was impossible of achievement. Freedom is part of man’s spiritual life. Spirituality is not compelled, nor can it be placed on one by another like a cloak. The moral and spiritual life is the natural fruit of moral and spiritual living. Man cannot become perfect like his Father in heaven is perfect without becoming free. The second proposal was made by none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, also a child of God, our eldest brother in the spirit-creation. Jesus said in that great council: “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27), and “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever,” Christ’s offer was accepted and he became the Savior of mankind. His Gospel of love, expressed in word and in his life and death, was wholly consistent with the free agency and freedom of man. God and Christ will always respect the free agency of man. Anyone who violates this principle is in Satan’s camp. Men cannot be compelled to live righteously, but only persuaded by love unfeigned. We came to earth to exercise our free agency in faith, to learn and live the truths of the Gospel that we might increase in freedom and in self- fulfillment. Every principle of religion taught by the Savior – sincerity, humility, faith, forgiveness, and love – presupposes the freedom and moral responsibility of men. Men are not puppets. They are not chess men with God and Satan making their every move. Men are children of God and are free to choose between good and evil, and they are responsible in good measure for the choices they make. Man innately craves and needs to be free. The history of mankind, from one view at least, is a struggle on the part of man to free his soul from fear, superstition, ignorance, disease, and above all, the tyranny of other men. And man will continue throughout eternity to search for genuine freedom. Our Father in heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ, will honor and aid man in this search. This is the faith of the Latter-day Saints. CHAPTER 11 MAN IS CAPABLE OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION Jesus told several parables in which he taught forcefully and beautifully that men should receive the word of God and let it grow in their lives and bear fruit. Notable among them is the parable of the sower. “A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. “And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. “And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. “And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. “And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? “And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. “And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:5-15) When the word of God is received by those with an honest and good heart, they bring forth fruit with patience. The religious life was not something static in the mind of Jesus, not something to become jellied and be preserved, not a talent to be buried lest it be lost. He wanted religion to bear fruit in life unto perfection. Humility, faith, repentance, and love are experiences in spiritual growth. Life was not to be static and repetitious but continually creative and self- fulfilling. Any thoughtful person knows that his life is not what it could and should be, so he searches for truth and strives to live more righteously. The religion of the Latter-day Saints is in harmony with man’s desire for spiritual growth and with the Savior’s stress upon it. We believe that man’s life on earth is purposeful, that he can grow toward the perfection of him who is our Creator and Eternal Father. We call this belief eternal progression. Not only is progression a practical characteristic of man’s life on earth, but also it is, in Latter-day Saint faith, a fundamental principle of our religion rooted in our theology. THE MEANING OF ETERNAL PROGRESSION Progression means literally “the act of going forward.” The most important thing about progression is the goal toward which we are moving. Men go forward on the field of battle to their destruction. Weeds and tumors grow; crime and epidemics increase. We seek, therefore, movement forward toward a good goal. And the goal we seek gives direction and meaning to our progress. Eternal progression has two meanings, one quantitative and the other qualitative, and both are exciting to contemplate. Eternal in a quantitative sense means without beginning or end. We believe that man, in his pre-earth existence, by the use of free agency in association with Deity and his fellow associates, had opportunity to learn and to better himself. His faith, knowing good and evil, and to have the privilege and responsibility to choose between them. As we look beyond this life to that which is to come, the principle of progression continues to be operative. The gains we make in this life of a moral, intellectual, or spiritual nature, are part of our eternal nature. Our earthly possessions, houses, lands, automobiles, and bank accounts remain behind; our bodies go back to the element of the earth, whence they came; but our eternal spirits live on, retaining all the spiritual gains of mortality. This fact is clearly state in a revelation to Joseph Smith: “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. “And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.” (D&C 130:18, 19) Jesus expressed the same thought in his Sermon on the Mount: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: “But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” (Matthew 6:19, 20) At death we go to the spirit world. There we shall remember our labors on the earth. For our vain, shallow, and evil living we shall suffer remorse even as we do here. For any progress we may have made in Christian living, we shall rejoice and enjoy peace of mind. No matter what our condition in the spirit world, our conscious existence continues and we shall have opportunity to progress farther. Those who did not have adequate opportunity to hear and understand the Gospel of Christ on earth will hear it there and may exercise faith and repent. The more righteous, who understand and believe it, will follow in the footsteps of the Savior and help teach it to those who understand it less or not at all.32 32Review Chapter 8. In the final state of life, when men will be resurrected and have a full capacity for joy, life will not be static nor come to a spiritual completeness. Heaven is not a dead-end street to a Latter-day Saint, glorious though it might be. Heaven means simply a new and great opportunity to experience joy through self-realization. Man’s quest for a fullness of life, as far as we know, will go on forever and may be rewarding and fulfilling all the way. There need be no end to man’s progression. Eternal progression means to move forward with gradual improvement forever. Eternal means not only everlastingly, but also God-like. This is clearly evident in the words of Jesus: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” (John 17:3) That which gives such rich meaning to the Latter-day Saint doctrine of eternal progression is not only that it may continue forever, but also that it is progression toward such a wonderful goal, the character and life of God. God the Father, is our ideal. He knows the goodness, the richness, and the fullness of life. Our own joy will come as we progress in the realization of God-like qualities which exist in our own minds and hearts. Our need is to grow in justice and impartiality, mercy and love, knowledge and wisdom, and in our ability to help others attain these same divine attributes. As we grow in these attributes and share in our Father’s service to man, we shall grow in his likeness and share in his life and work. Our eternal goal is not to enjoy a vision of God in a passive, spectator- sense, nor to come to a place of heavenly bliss and peace. Our idea of heaven is not radically different from our experience with life here in its spiritual aspects. Our Eternal Father wishes us to know the richness of life that is his. He wants us to become more intelligent, creative, and loving, even as he, that we might know the meaning of life which is his. Jesus came to earth, among other reasons, to reveal to man the character and will of the Father. He himself “increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52) And “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” (Hebrews 5:8-10) In a revelation to Joseph Smith we read of the Savior’s own progress toward a fulness of the glory of God. “And I, John bear record that I beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt among us. “And I, John saw that he received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace; “And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; “And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first. “And I, John, bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of heaven saying: This is my beloved Son. “And I, John, bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of the Father; “And he received all power, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him.” (D&C 93:11-17) The promise is also made to us that we, too, may enjoy a fulness of the glory of God if we are faithful and walk in the steps of the Savior, living as he would have us live. “And it shall come to pass, that if you are faithful you shall receive the fulness of the record of John. “I give unto you these sayings that you may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness. “For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.” (D&C 93:18-20) Man’s potential, glorious, God-like future is further elaborated in another passage in the Doctrine and Covenants. From a vision of life hereafter, received by Joseph Smith and his associate, Sydney Rigdon, we read: “And again we bear record -- for we saw and heard, and this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning them who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just -- “They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this according to the commandment which he has given -- “That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power; “And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true. “They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. “They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things-- “They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; “And are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. “Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God -- “Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's, and Christ is God's. “And they shall overcome all things. “Wherefore, let no man glory in man, but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under his feet. “These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever. “These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people. “These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection. “These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. “These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all. “These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn. “These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all. “These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood. “These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical.” (D&C 76:50-70) THE WAY OF PROGRESSION We have, in this chapter, declared our faith in the principle of eternal progression. We have shown how it is in harmony with Jesus’ emphasis on growth in the spiritual life and also man’s need for growth. And we have tried to show the meaning of eternal progression, how it signifies going forward forever, realizing gradually and increasingly a more God-like and Christ-like life. There remains another important question pertaining to the subject: How does one progress eternally? This question cannot be answered in a paragraph or a chapter. The entire Gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan which will lead man from where he is toward his eternal goal of becoming in very deed a true Son of God, sharing in the work of his Father. The reader and student will have to be patient and give us time to introduce the plan as the course develops and as we study the work of Jesus Christ. Here we can only outline three general steps, not the specific principles, of the plan. I. Faith As indicated earlier33, religion rests on faith, on such great postulates of faith as the existence of God, that man’s life is a meaningful and immortal part of his divine creation, and that the Christian life will bring us the greatest joy here and eternally. 33Chapters 2 and 3. The first step in eternal progression is faith. We must believe in our goal enough to act upon it -- to incline our hearts and minds toward God and to begin to live more as he would have us live. We must believe enough to experiment with his word. Faith is a feeling, lying between hope and full assurance -- depending on its strength -- which enables us to live as though something is true which we have not yet seen nor realized. None of us has seen God, so we walk by faith. None of us has known the joy of full Christian living, so we walk by faith, seeking to realize more of it in our lives. Faith is a gift of God. All men, unless they resist his influence, come under the influence of the Father and the Son, who are persuading them to believe, to do right, and to aspire to the good life. Faith, like our talents, must be cultivated to increase and become truly vital. A Book of Mormon prophet spoke convincingly about the cultivation of faith, the first vital step in our progression. (Read quotes on pages 18 and 19.) II. Knowledge A well-grounded faith leads to knowledge. Knowledge is a prerequisite to progress in religion even as it is in science, industry, or school. We live in a world of law and order, both in nature and in the moral and spiritual life of man. Jesus said: "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) To a Latter-day Saint, the religious life includes knowledge as well as faith. The very purpose of faith is to lead us to a knowledge of God and his laws that we may understand and live in harmony therewith. Great and interesting is the stress in Latter-day Saint scripture on knowledge as part of the plan of man's eternal program: "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth." (D&C 93:36) "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance." (D&C 131:6) III. Obedience The third basic step in eternal progression is obedience to law. We begin with faith, which leads to knowledge, and, through acceptance and obedience, this knowledge is translated into our very lives. Knowledge in itself does not bring progress, but only knowledge applied to good ends. Belief alone does not bring man to God. James is emphatic and graphic on this point: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19-20) Neither is knowledge alone a sufficient basis of salvation, of eternal progression toward a God-like, joy-bringing life. Jesus knew this as he stressed the importance of living by our knowledge: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. "And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. "And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: "For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." (Matthew 7:16-29) To Latter-day Saints, religion is faith that is leading to a knowledge of God and Christ translated into the feeling and behavior of men in everyday life. We live in a world of law. As we come to learn the laws of life or the laws of God, and conform our lives to them out of genuine conviction, freely and gladly, we are on the highway of progression leading to eternal life. Our point of view is rather well summarized in the following scripture: "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift. "And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. "That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still. "All kingdoms have a law given; "And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. "And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. "All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things." (D&C 88:33-40) CONCLUSION This principle of eternal progression toward the character of God is a cornerstone of Latter-day Saint teaching. It is wholly consistent with our doctrines of man, his free and eternal nature, and with our conception of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. It promises that any man's life, under the guidance of Deity and in co-operation with fellow men, may hold forever increasing meaning and satisfaction. This principle is part of the positive, optimistic, and idealistic view we hold of human life. Yet the doctrine is not unrealistic, not a mere fanciful dream, but is grounded in faith, knowledge, and obedience. Eternal progression is growth, and growth in the spiritual life of man, as in nature, comes about gradually and in accordance with law. PART 4 REVELATION (Comprising Chapters 12 to 17) CHAPTER 12 REVELATION IS CONTINUOUS In recent chapters we have been studying Latter-day Saint beliefs regarding God and man and their relationship to each other. These beliefs have been gained from the revelations of Deity to man, revelation being the great source of religious knowledge. In this and the next few chapters we shall inquire into the nature of revelation, the foundation-principle of religion. We shall wish to know, among other questions, what it is, how it takes place, and how we can know if a purported revelation is of God. THE MEANING OF REVELATION Revelation in its religious connotation is the communication of divine truth or knowledge to man. it is a process by which God makes known his will, his knowledge, and his nature to man. Revelation is communication between Deity and man by which man receives ideas, motivation, and inspiration from Deity. Revelation presupposes the existence of a personal God, the kind of Being who thinks, wills, purposes, and can speak his mind and will to man. This principle also presupposes that God is interested in man, and is concerned with his welfare, behavior, and destiny. Without the belief in an intelligent and sentient divine Being deeply concerned with man, revelation is unthinkable. If God were impersonal, such as a force, power, ideal, an idol, or a principle, revelation would be out of the question. Religion would be simply man's search for truth, man's own thinking and nothing more. Religions that do not have a belief in a personal God do not teach the principle of revelation. This is true of Confucianism and Buddhism as established in the beginning. Neither Confucius nor Buddha cared to talk about God; neither claimed revelation from him. Among Christian religions, the same trend is in evidence. The more abstract and impersonal the concept of God in a given religion, the less faith there is in present and immediate communication from him. Revelation not only presupposes the existence of a personal God interested in man, but also it implies man's capacity to be influenced by God, to receive and in a measure understand the influence and inspiration coming from Deity. Revelation, as we shall see, clearly indicates a reciprocal relationship. To make it possible, God and man must be sufficiently alike in kind that they can communicate with one another and be responsive in thought and feeling to each other. Revelation, therefore, is not only communication from God to man, but it is also communication between God and man. It is not only God reaching down to man; it is also man reaching up to his Maker. Revelation is a two-way process. Both Deity and man play an important role therein. Religions that do not believe strongly in the dignity, worth, and freedom of man are prone to discount or rule out altogether man's role in revelation. Latter-day Saints believe, as we have stressed in earlier chapters, both in a personal, loving, Eternal Father and in the freedom, worth, and responsibility of man as a child of God. It is only natural, therefore, that we should believe in revelation as communication between him and man, each playing a vital part in the process. REVELATION CONTINUOUS IN BIBLICAL TEACHING The Bible is replete with passages which proclaim that revelation from God has been and ought to be continuous. Witness is borne again and again in God's frequent and repeated communications with man. We shall quote a few passages to illustrate this fact: Amos, a great prophet of the eighth century BC, said: "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7) And then, in explanation of his own prophecy, which he was uttering to the Israelites, he declared further: "The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8) The author of Hebrews, bearing witness to the mission of Jesus Christ, made a summary statement of God's continuous revelations to man in the past: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;" (Hebrews 1:1, 2) That the revelations of God to man did not cease with the coming of his Beloved Son is evident in the New Testament record itself, most of which was written after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. The Savior himself could not have intended revelation to cease with his words, for he said to his disciples: "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?" (Luke 11:9-13) And not long before his crucifixion he told the Twelve that he would send to them the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and that "he will guide you into all truth." (John 16:13; note also John, chapters 14, 15, and 16) The cessation of revelation is spoken of in the scripture as a curse and as a great misfortune caused by man's failure to seek God or to be worthy of receiving his word. The Book of Deuteronomy, in warning the Israelites about their future life in the land of Canaan, reports that if they would hearken not unto the voice of God, to do his will, then "thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron." (Deuteronomy 28:23) Not to have revelation from God is an evil comparable and parallel to having the earth, the source of their physical sustenance, unfruitful to them. There were times in the history of Israel and Judah when they seemed to be forgotten of God and left to their own resources and to the mercy of their oppressors and conquerors. In the beautiful language of Isaiah, we learn that God's estrangement was not due to him, but to Israel, for she had forsaken the Lord. "Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1, 2; read the entire chapter) These several Biblical passages quoted to illustrate God's continuous revelations to man and his desire to thus communicate with man are convincing, but even these are not the best evidence for his constant revelation to his children. The Bible itself is the best witness. Here is a collection of writings telling the story of thousands of years of God's dealings with man. In its present form, the actual writing covers more than 1,000 years. Many prophets, from Moses to Paul, and including Jesus himself, bear repeated witness that they were declaring the will of God. Moreover, the things they said and the spirit and power of their words bear witness of the truth of their own conviction and lead us to believe that they did speak for God. Certainly revelation if conceded by anyone to be in the Bible, is found there from time to time in rich measure both in the Old and in the New Testament. OF REVELATION -- NO END! A strange thing happened in the early history of the Christian Church between the second and fifth centuries AD. During the lifetime of Jesus and his apostles there was no New Testament, no Christian scripture. These men spoke as they were "moved upon by the Holy Ghost," as recorded in Acts 2, 6, and in Galatians 1. True, they quoted Old Testament scripture which had been their early teacher, and also because they were trying to convert Jews to Christ. But they themselves spoke the revelations which came to them as well as their recollections of the sayings of Jesus. In the second century men in the church began to disagree on matters of doctrine, as is so natural and frequent in the history of religion. Heretics, men with ideas not acceptable to the general view of the authorities of the church, came on the scene. The question arose, how shall we crush heresy? The answer to this question was found. It was agreed that the writings of the apostles and a few others like Mark and Luke, which had now become circulated and appreciated in the Church, would become normative or standard. What they wrote was to be the true gospel. For this reason the present writings in the New Testament were collected into one work and became the New Covenant or Testament, bearing witness of Christ. For this collection man can be grateful. But we believe, along with others, that it was a mistake to close the door to further revelation of comparable import and character. In order to silence heretics once and for all, the New Testament Canon became a closed book. Revelation was thought to be complete and final. Henceforth it was the mission of the Church to interpret past revelation. And this wonderful but fragmentary and brief scripture was mistakenly accepted, along with the Old Testament, as the complete revelation of God to man.34 The Catholic Church states today that the two sources of its faith are scripture and tradition, both of them lying in the past.35 34This story of the canonization of the New Testament, with its accompanying loss of faith in continuous revelation, is effectively told by a great American scholar in church history, A. C. McGiffert, in A History of Christian Thought, Vol. 1, Chap. 8. 35See Adam, Karl, The Spirit of Catholicism, Macmillan Co. 1928, p. 44. Adam was a Catholic professor of theology in Germany. When the great reformers, such as Luther and Calvin, were excommunicated from the Mother Church, they naturally turned away from much Catholic tradition and founded their faith in the Holy Bible. And while they believed in God and in his approbation of their courageous courses of action, still they took over many of the creeds of the Mother Church and looked to the Bible for an interpretation of their new faith. They became interpreters of the Bible, each doubtless seeking God's help in this new role. It hardly occurred to any of them, particularly in the early Reformation period, that they could seek revelation on their own directly from God; that he might declare anew or unequivocably his will on controversial or clouded issues of doctrine and church practice. To Latter-day Saints, religion is not a closed book; it is not geared to the past. To us, revelation is not like unto a lake, beautiful though it be, into which no fresh water flows. Revelation is more like a beautiful stream of water which flows into and through a number of beautiful lakes, and on and on, keeping itself fresh, perpetually fed at its source by God and continually blessing those among men who come to drink of its everflowing water. There are reasons, we believe, why revelation should be continuous, why channels between God and man should be kept open in the great prophetic tradition, revealing important truths to man. Let us consider a few. 1. If revelation was continuous in Biblical days, why should it not continue at least from time to time when men earnestly desire and search for it? Is the Bible a complete record of God's past revelations to man? Hardly. Books were lost and much was never recorded. Does the Bible contain all that God knows or that man needs to know? And why if God is the Father of all men, and if he guided and directed his people "in sundry times and divers manners in time past," should he stop forever and have us depend on an ancient record? 2. Life is dynamic. Man's circumstances and needs change. Historical situations arise, like Israel's plight in Egypt, which call for communication between God and man. Men are confronted with new questions, new problems, which require new answers or new applications and interpretations of former revelations. A classic illustration is found in the problems of whether the Gospel of Jesus Christ was to be taken to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. It took a revelation to open Peter's eyes to the fact that the Gospel was intended for all men. (See Acts 10 and 15) 3. If revelations are of God and are given through the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost, then it takes the same spirit of revelation to interpret past revelations as it did to receive them in the first place. Just as a scientist understands the work of another scientist by using the same scientific method and attitude, so past revelations of God are best understood by that same spirit of revelation by which they were originally given. A piano student, to retain even the skill she has, must continue to practice and improve her talent. Is not this also analogous to be the life of the spirit? We have to study more to retain what we know of a subject. Must we not also receive more revelation to retain the understanding and value which are part of past revelations? 4. The process, as well as the content of revelation, is of great value to man. To illustrate in another field: A man might declare his love for his wife on the day of their marriage and then not mention it again for years. He might even put it in writing and have it notarized on his wedding day. Is there not value in the man's expressing his love from time t time, in reassuring his wife, in keeping their love growing and enriching itself through expression? So it is with man's relationship to God. To feel God's spirit and influence in one's life, to know one is right by a personal witness of his spirit is itself a wonderful experience quite apart from the specific content of the revelation. It brings comfort and courage to one's mind, increases faith, gives hope and assurance, and brings love into one's life. 5. Revelation, we believe, is a teaching process in which our Heavenly Father is the teacher and men are his students. Any wise and effective teacher has to take into account the background, understanding, and circumstances of his pupils. He teaches a child in a child's language, an adult in the language of an adult. Revelation comes to an individual or to a people in the language they can understand. As they understand and live in harmony with past revelations, they are in a position to receive more and deserve to receive more, that they might better understand and live the will of God. Revelation from God is to Latter-day Saints the very foundation of all true religion. We glory in the great truths recorded in ages past, and we see no reason to believe that this principle should not continue in full strength as long as men are on the earth who will seek revelation and be worthy to receive it. Following are statements from Latter-day Saint sources that declare our faith in continuous revelation: "Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough! "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear untomy counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have." (2 Nephi 28:29-30) "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth? "Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also. "And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever. "Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written. "For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to their works, according to that which is written." (2 Nephi 29:7-11) "Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. "And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known; "And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; "And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; "And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." (D&C 1:24-28) "We believe all that God has revealed, all the He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Articles of Faith 1:9) "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul -- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (Articles of Faith 1:13) CONCLUSION Which would you rather own, a ranch in a high state of cultivation, with machinery and good management, or several years' crops from the ranch? Would you not prefer the ranch, which could produce new crops year after year for you and your children? Which would you rather have, some records of God's past revelations to man or present communication from him with the assurance, joy, and possibilities associated therewith? Would you not prefer the immediate experience of revelation to a partial record of past revelation? Fortunately, the choice need not be made. The rancher can own both his ranch and the crops. Likewise, we have a record of some of God's revelations in ages past, and also the assurance that he reveals his will to man today and may do so tomorrow. CHAPTER 13 MAN'S PART IN REVELATION The revelations of God are good for man. They are given to bring him salvation, to help him understand the purpose of his life and how to achieve it. Surely it would be good if we could have more revelations, constant guidance, and the reaffirmation of our faith from God. God, being just and impartial, and also a loving Father, must be willing to communicate his will to any or to all men. In fact, it would seem reasonable to believe that he is trying "to get through" to all men, for they are all his children and therefore, the object of his love and concern. Because some men have received more revelations from God than others suggests that the reason for this apparent partiality lies not in God's will but in the weakness of men. We believe that God is eager and anxious to reveal his mind and will to all men. The limitations on his revelations lie not in him but in us. He is the great teacher; we are the pupils. To be taught, we must do our part. We must make preparation to receive revelations. What, we may well ask, are the prerequisites of revelation? How can man prepare himself to receive more revelation from God? PREREQUISITES FOR REVELATION 1. Man, to receive a revelation from God, must desire and seek it. This must have been the thought of Jesus when he told us: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matthew 7:7, 8) Similar are the reassuring words of Isaiah, "Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near." (Isaiah 55:6) Just as a student cannot learn from his teacher without desire and without some thinking on his part, so man does not, we believe, learn of God without having some desire, readiness, and aspiration in his heart. How can God answer prayers which are not asked; how can he give revelation to minds which are not open and receptive? It is our belief that revelation is quite natural and reasonable, a divine response to a human desire. This is beautifully portrayed in a revelation to Joseph Smith. We submit it for its own value on its own merit. "Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. "And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known; "And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; "And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; "And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." (D&C 1:24-28) 2. Man must not only desire revelation from God, he also must have faith in him and in his willingness to reveal himself. This is forcefully stated in James 1:5-8: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. "For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:5-8) The Savior's ability to impart of his healing power to others was contingent upon the faith of those who came to him. How often did he say to those whom he had healed, "Thy faith hath made thee whole."36 Yet in his own country, where men knew him simply as a neighbor and carpenter, and had little faith in him, "he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief." (Mark 6:5-6) He also said, "... If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23) 36Mark 5:24-34. The gifts and revelations of God are available to all men, but they are received only by those who desire and who "hunger and thirst" after them. And they are gained in the degree to which we week them. 3. To receive revelation from God, man must also be worthy in character. A beautiful and familiar Psalm has application here: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. "He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalms 24:3-5) The Lord, we believe, does not expect perfection in human nature, and he is merciful and forgiving, but he does not operate through or abide in a person of evil intent and action. Paul assured us of this in his writing to the Corinthian Saints: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) If a person is humble, sincere, pure of heart, unselfish, and earnestly seeking to know and do God's will, surely the Lord will be inclined to hearken to his desire and respond to his faith. Contrariwise, God cannot be expected to inspire men who are out of harmony with his holy purposes and his own divine attributes. Man's preparation to receive knowledge of Christ is beautifully stated in 2 Peter 1:4-8: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; "And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; "And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. "For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:4-8) 4. Revelation from God is purposeful. It is given to meet a real need in human life. We may well believe that the need for revelation is always present and yet revelation is not always forthcoming. Coupled with an objective need, there must be someone who is aware of that need and prepared, under God, to do something about it. As we review the Biblical story, we find many illustrations of there having been both a real need and a person present to sense the need and to receive revelation from God. When the children of Israel were crying unto God under the burden of Egyptian slavery, Moses was there to see it, to be indignant about it, to strike back, to flee into Midian and there prepare himself in life and character to receive the revelations of Jehovah and to lead Israel out of bondage. In the days of Israel's corruption and moral decline, there remained a few morally and spiritually sensitive souls like Amos, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah who could see and sense the evils of their people. To such men, noble in character, keen in mind, and reverent of heart, God spoke, and they understood him. Details are not fully given, but it is clear that these men turned to God and received revelation from him. They knew Israel's need, for it had become their own as well. The Apostle Paul had a vision of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus in which he was made aware that he could no longer fight against the Christian faith and persecute the Saints.37 The Lord needed Paul to take the Gospel to the Gentile world, a world which he knew and understood. Though the scriptural account does not indicate that Paul asked for the calling, in many ways he was prepared for it. He knew their language, customs, and culture. Paul enjoyed all the rights and freedoms of a Roman citizen and he was devoutly loyal to God and his will as he understood it. Although it is not so stated in the record, he may have been earnestly praying to God for guidance. 37Acts 9. TO WHOM DOES GOD SPEAK? Since God is just, impartial, and no respecter of persons, any man, we believe, may receive revelations who fulfills the prerequisites suggested above. Any human being may pray to God, receive of his guidance and influence, and feel his holy Spirit. The Book of Mormon is most emphatic on this point. Regarding the feelings of the Savior towards all men, we read therein: "For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. "Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. "Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. "Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. "Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden." (2 Nephi 26:23-28) Alma, a great missionary whose teachings are also contained in the Book of Mormon, was so filled with the spirit of his calling that he wished he could sound a trumpet to the whole earth and "cry repentance unto every people." Then he realized that all men were children of God and that God was working through others as well as through him to bring about his purposes. He, therefore, concludes by saying: "For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true." (Alma 29:8; note verses 1-8) A kind and gracious Father of all men is reachng out to inspire and enlighten all of his children in his great desire to turn their hearts to him, and to righteousness and truth. In a revelation to Joseph Smith we learn about this outreaching love of God and find that Jesus Christ shares fully in this divine influence on man. "He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth; "Which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. "As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; "As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; "And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand. "And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings; "Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space -- "The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things." (D&C 88:6-13) Men differ in their desire and capacity to receive revelations from God. Jesus Christ is the greatest revelation of God to man. He knew the mind of his Father and revealed his character and will to us more fully and more personally than anyone who has ever lived. Prophets like Moses, Amos, Isaiah, Paul, and others in our own time have been revelators of great stature. These men and others have been called to be God's spokesmen to the nations of the earth and even to mankind. We believe that revelation is not restricted to prophets. Each man, as a child of God, has a right to call upon his Father. Each has at his disposal the same basic means of communication, desire, faith, moral worthiness, a need and an awareness of that need. Each person has as much right to revelation for his own need and his own particular station in life as the prophet of God has a right to receive revelation for his particular station in life and for his own need. A father of a household may receive revelation for his family, a Sunday School teacher for his work as a teacher, a mother for her role as mother. This is the teaching of the Latter-day Saints. It is, we believe, in harmony with the justice and love of God and the worth and freedom of each individual. HOW REVELATION IS GIVEN We have discussed thus far the nature of revelation, its continuous character, its adaptation to the needs of men, and who can receive it. Little has been said about the way in which God reveals himself to man. We shall conclude this chapter with a discussion of the various ways and means by which God reveals himself to man. Through His Creations When we leave the noise and haste of modern city life and retreat in solitude or with a friend to a quiet mountain stream, or gaze into the starry heavens above, or walk through a green field nestled at the foot of hills, or ride a horse through high meadow country surrounded by pine-studded mountains, our hearts become calm and our minds serene, and it is easier to believe that this is God's world. The beauty, majesty, and fruitfulness of nature reveal to us something of the character and mind of the Creator. "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? "For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." (Psalms 8:1, 3-5) "The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God. "Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least of these hath seen God moving in his majesty and power." (D&C 88:45-47) Through His Spirit There is an influence emanating from the Father and Son which is called the Spirit of God and also the Light of Christ. The divine, intelligent influence is striving with all men to enlighten their minds, quicken their moral sensitivity, and to incline them to hunger and thirst for the good life. This fact cannot be proved to a skeptic; it can only be accepted on faith and learned through personal experience. Surely there is in all men, save those too handicapped to function as human beings and a minority who may be grossly callused in evil doing, a desire to do right and a longing for the ideal. Men are moral by nature. They not only act, but they must also make peace with themselves for their actions. The Spirit of God and Christ is ever striving with men. This truth is told in scripture: "O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. "Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. "Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. "For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? "If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. "If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; "Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. "If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. "Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee." (Psalms 139:1-12) The same thought is expressed in revelation to Joseph Smith. "For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ. "And the Spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world; and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit." (D&C 84:45-46)38 38Note also Doctrine and Covenants 88:1-13, Alma 29:1-8; Moroni 7:12-20. Through Visions On occasions of great import, God has seen fit to manifest himself to man in person in a vision. On Mount Horeb, Moses beheld the burning bush which, though burning, was not consumed. There Moses heard the voice of God telling him to take off his shoes for the place whereon he stood was holy ground.39 This was only the first recorded vision of Moses. In his forty years of leadership, he had other occasions to return to the Lord on Mount Horeb or Sinai, where the scriptures attest, "... the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend."40 39See Exodus 3. 40See Exodus 33:11. Isaiah, prophet, statesman and poet to Israel and Judah, had a vision of God in the Temple which filled his soul with awe before the holiness of God and made him aware of his own unholiness, which he describes, "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5) Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a high mountain. There he was transfigured before them in his glory as the Son of God. "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him."41 Stephen's vision of "Jesus standing on the right hand of God."42 and Paul's vision of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus43 are other examples of heavenly visions experienced by the founders of the Pristine Christian Church. 41Matthew 17:1-13. 42Acts 7:51-60. 43Acts 9:1-9. Latter-day Saints believe in the reality of heavenly visions. If man is a child of God, who is real and personal, why should he not show himself to man when occasion merits such a holy manifestation? Our own faith was established by heavenly visitations no more fantastic and every bit as reasonable in purpose and outcome as were the ancient Biblical manifestations. Joseph Smith, we believe, had a vision of the Father and the Son as real as the visions of Stephen, Paul, Isaiah, or Moses. More will be told of these visions near the close of our course of study when we discuss the origin and significance of the Latter-day Saint faith. The Holy Ghost Heavenly visions and God-inspired dreams are, we believe, the exceptional and not the usual media of divine communication. Most revelation comes, as Jesus promised it would come, through "the still small voice" of the Holy Ghost.44 Following his resurrection, he told the Twelve who were anxious to know when he would "restore again the kingdom of Israel," that they would "receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."45 On the day of Pentecost, the promise of the Savior was fulfilled. The Twelve experienced what is called the baptism of fire, being born of the Spirit. Henceforth, they knew of their divine mission and often spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. 44John 14, 15, 16, and Acts 1 and 2. 45Acts 1:6-8. The Holy Ghost is the great medium of revelation by which the revelations of God come to men, not only to his prophets but also to every man who earns the right to this inspiration and revelation. The Holy Ghost bears witness of the Father and the Son and helps us to understand their will and to live their teachings. The promise is made in a modern revelation. "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. "Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground." (D&C 8:2-3) In the last chapter of the Book of Mormon, it is declared that the Holy Ghost will bear witness of the truth. "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5) How we may know if we are being inspired of the Holy Ghost and how we may know if someone else is, are not easy problems to solve. They will concern us in the next chapter. CHAPTER 14 VERIFYING REVELATION In the Ninth Century BC, the Prophet. Elijah called all Israel and the prophets of Baal together at Mount Carmel for a most dramatic test of religious truth. When they were all assembled, "Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word." (1 Kings 18:21) Elijah had stated clearly the choice in his day -- either follow Jehovah, God of Israel, or Baal. The people had nothing to say because there was no other choice for them. Life is not so simple in the Twentieth Century among people who can read and write. Great religious leaders have spoken in many nations. In some things they quite agree; in other things they differ widely. Within each faith, there are often many sects, many points of view. Among the Jews, for example, there are Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform Jews. Among Christians there are Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, a great variety of Protestant faiths, and Latter-day Saints. Christian peoples have principles and aspirations in common, but they differ radically in their theology, Church life, and even in the character of daily living. The Bible, espoused by all Christians is not easy to interpret. Written originally in Hebrew and Greek by many authors over many centuries, it has been edited, re-edited, and translated many times. We do not know the original writing. Great as the Book is, it is not without errors of translation and some contradiction. Since revelation has to come from God through man, it is adapted to the needs of men in their weaknesses and circumstances. Some things in the Law of Moses, for example, are quite opposite to the latter teachings of the prophets and Jesus. The Law was adapted to the language and needs of the time. Of course, other things within the Law of Moses are comparable to any teachings which have been given since. Hence people of quite opposite beliefs often refer to this same book for the authority of their teaching. Most of us have grown up in the faith of our parents. They indoctrinated and conditioned us favorably or unfavorably in it. As we mature in this critical and complex age, we must at some time or other accept or reject the faith of our fathers on its own merit. This is not easy to do. Sometimes a new faith is presented to us. It, too, deserves an honest hearing. All manner of people confront us with "the word of God." How shall we discriminate between truth and error? How shall we know if a purported revelation is of God? The Apostle Paul said, "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good."46 This is good advice, but how do we tell what is good? 461 Thessalonians 5:21. The answer is not simple. There is no single way to know the truth. But there are a number of good ways which have been recommended by prophets and by Jesus, and which are in harmony with human reason and experience. We shall suggest some tests of truth for the reader's consideration. In matters of faith and in the big questions of life, answers are not easily obtained. In the last analysis each person must judge for himself, each must learn to carry his own lantern. Others may reason and suggest, and the God of truth will help, but religious faith, in the last analysis, is a private matter. As Latter-day Saints, we respect the right of every individual to his own faith, to freedom of conscience, as long as he does not infringe upon the rights of others. "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Article of Faith 1:11) THREE WAYS OF KNOWING Philosophers speak of three ways of knowing: reason, experience, and intuition.47 Our experience in life seems to confirm the correctness and value of this classification. If something is true, we expect it (1) to make sense to us, to be free of contradiction, to appear reasonable, to be understandable, and (2) to be verified, if possible, in our experience, to be workable and fruitful in life. (3) We are also confirmed in our belief if we feel right about a question, particularly after we have made that question a matter of meditation and prayer. 47In more technical language: rationalism, empiricism, and intuition, sometimes also called mysticism. I. Intuition, Feeling, Inspiration In the dramatic story of the resurrection of Christ as told in Luke, Chapter 24, the author tells of two disciples who had heard of the Savior's resurrection and were discussing it as they walked towards a village called Emmaus, some distance from Jerusalem. While they pondered the reports and incidents of the day, "Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him."48 The men told Jesus of the happenings of the day. Toward evening as he was about to leave them, they asked him to remain with them. And then, 48Luke 24:15, 16. "... it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. "And their eyes were opened and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight." (Luke 24:30, 31) Then they said these significant words to each other: "... Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us, by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?"49 49Luke 24:32; read entire incident in Luke 24:1-36. If we are sincere, humble, and prayerful we have a right to feel the falsity or truthfulness of a purported revelation from God. When we hear and contemplate religious truth our heart will also "burn within us," the witness of the Spirit of God or of the Holy Ghost. As we have quoted in earlier lessons, Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." A loving Father, God of truth, is certainly interested in guiding his children to the truth.50 50Note Matthew 7:7, 8. This confirmation of the Spirit does not come to man automatically, with no thought or effort on his part. To be inspired of Deity man must have faith, be humble, be concerned with finding the truth, and be anxiously engaged in a search for God's will and truth. Inspiration comes to man in response to his need and desire and spiritual effort as was indicated in the preceding chapter. An interesting explanation of how God inspires man in his spiritual quest is told early in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. Oliver Cowdery, companion and secretary of Joseph Smith, asked for the privilege of translating part of the Book of Mormon record into English. His request was finally granted, but he failed miserably in his attempt. His reason for failing was explained to him and gives us a reasonable explanation of how man receives revelation from God. "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. "But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; therefore, you cannot write that which is sacred save it be given you from me." (D&C 9:7-9) Feeling is a personal or subjective experience. It is not as concrete or tangible as ideas or things. Feelings are real, but difficult to communicate to others and even difficult to remember and to interpret by the person who has experienced them. Therefore, many people of a practical, intellectual, or critical nature, are very skeptical about feeling or intuition as a guide to truth. They wish to know how our feelings can be trusted, how we can know that they are influenced by the Spirit of God and are not simply the product of our own physiological and psychological processes. Our emotions may fool us. Critics are justified in raising such questions. We believe that man must be wary of feelings as the only guide of religious truth. Our feelings need to be checked by reason and by our total life experience. And within the area of feeling itself, we must learn through experience and verification whether our intuitive insights are trustworthy and might be inspired of a power other than ourselves. We must give ourselves time in the study of religion to see if the "burning in our hearts" is constant and a response to prayer. Feeling ought to be reassuring and the companion of a thought and living, to be trustworthy. Let us turn, for a moment, to a consideration of the other rests of truth: namely, reason and experience. II. Reason Man is endowed with a mind, the capacity to think. While there are many things which man as yet cannot know by use of his mind, still most of what he does know is the result of thinking. Therefore, in our search for truth, including religious truth, we should not by-pass thinking. Jesus was brilliant of mind. He asked provocative and difficult questions and gave profound and wise answers. As we read the Gospel story, we are impressed with the clarity and force of his thinking as well as the depth and strength of his feeling. Surely the Gospel of Jesus Christ should appeal to our minds as well as to our hearts. Feeling gives to life motivation and satisfaction: reason can give needed direction and guidance. The Creator himself is God of love and also of truth. "The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. "By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew." (Proverbs 3:19, 20) Let us consider some ways in which we may use our minds in an evaluation of purported religious truths. 1. A revelation from God is reasonable. It makes sense. We can expect it to have purpose and meaning in human life. Great revelations of the past, such as the writings of Amos and Isaiah, contain messages of intellectual importance; they appeal to reason. Sometimes people claim revelations from God which are void of meaning. They resemble babbling or generalized nonsense. The writer recalls having met a man, who seemed to be perfectly sincere, who claimed that Jesus had visited with him and taught him night after night. When asked what Jesus had said to him, what he had taught him, the man did not know. The question took him by surprise. Another person, whom we met, said God had inspired him to rewrite the Bible. Upon examination of some of his manuscript, we found no new contribution to the meaning of the Bible. It seemed to us that he had simply garbled the text. A passage in the Book of Mormon reads: "For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness."51 There are, we believe, two kinds of spiritual darkness, ignorance and sin. God does not sin. Neither does he work in ignorance nor bring confusion to the minds of men. We, therefore, believe that a revelation from God should have meaning and purpose and be intelligible. 512 Nephi 26:23. 2. A revelation from God is consistent within itself, not self-contradictory. For example, it is impossible for us to believe in both predestination and in the free agency of man. Predestination means that the salvation or damnation of man was predetermined by God even before man was created. This doctrine implies that salvation is entirely the work of Deity. Free agency, on the other hand, clearly implies that man can choose in some measure his course in life, that he is a responsible, moral agent. Free agency and predestination appear to the mind as being irreconcilable as principles of the same religion. One must give way to the other. 3. A revelatio, to be inspired of God, must be consistent with the great fundamentals of religion which have been taught again and again and which have vindicated their worth in human history. A very interesting appeal is made to ancient Israel in Deuteronomy, Chapter 13. The people were admonished, without equivocation, to pay no heed even to a prophet who would lead them away from the one true God to worship other gods. "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, "And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; "Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. "Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. "And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee." (Deuteronomy 13:1-5) A purported revelation which is contrary to such principles as the justice and love of God and the free agency and dignity of man cannot be inspired by God. Why would he inspire men to contradict his great teachings given at an earlier date through his prophets? 4. A revelation from God will be in harmony with the spirit and teachings of his Son, Jesus Christ, for he came to earth to reveal to man the nature and character of God. Christians, who believe in Jesus Christ, accept him as the revelation of God to man. He has given us religion at its best, in its highest and finest expression. We would do well as Christians to study his life and teachings diligently and then see that our own interpretations of the scripture are in harmony with his emphasis in religion. Where we find either the words of scripture or of any man out of harmony with the great fundamentals Jesus taught, we ought to attach a question mark thereto. Either we do not understand the message, or the speaker or writer lacked inspiration, for Christ knew the Will of God and he is our best guide to religious truth. Jesus said, in response to Pilate's question, "Art thou a king then?" "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." (John 18:37) A Mormon hymn-writer, Eliza R. Snow, gave expression to our faith in Christ as our guide to religious truth in these words: He marked the path and led the way, And every point defines To light and life and endless day Where God's full presence shines.52 52"How Great the Wisdom and the Love," verse 4, Hymns, 1985, 195. Unchristian teaching and practice cannot be inspired by God. III. Experience A third way to know if a revelation is truly of God is given us by the Savior. When Jews marveled at his teachings, saying, "And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned? "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him." (John 7:15-18) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, in a similar vein: "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. "Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:15-20) True religion, when lived in daily life, will bring joy, peace of mind, courage, and comfort. The Spirit of God will also bear witness to us of the rightness of a principle as we live it. There is one danger in testing the truth or falsity of a religion by practicing it. If the doctrine or principle be false, one may ruin his life or suffer irreparable loss by experimenting with evil. Therefore, it is well also to learn vicariously, by observing the fruits of religious living in the lives of others. Therefore, it is also important to approach any evaluation of religion with all three ways of knowing the truth -- thoughtfully, seeking inspiration, and through experience. CONCLUSION In this chapter we indicated the difficulty of finding the truth in this modern complex age. Then we described briefly three ways of knowing: feeling, reason, and experience, and suggested how each might be used to verify revelations. We recommend all three ways and believe that they should check on one another and supplement each other. Let a man pray, think about his religion, and live it, too! Then he should know if it be of God and should have faith to accept or reject it. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21) CHAPTER 15 THE BIBLE -- ITS NATURE AND INTERPRETATION In the last three chapters we have set forth some of the basic beliefs of the Latter-day Saints concerning revelation. We noted that God has revealed his will to man from time to time and in man's language and according to man's need and circumstances. Many of the most important and appreciated of these revelations have been collected and preserved as scripture. Hence the scriptures bear witness of God's communications to man and are cherished as a source of religious ideas and understanding. Our discussion of revelation, to be comprehensive, needs to include our beliefs about the Bible and also an introduction to other scriptures which have been published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. WHAT THE BIBLE IS The English word Bible comes from a Greek word Biblia meaning books. The name is well chosen because the Bible is not one book but a collection of sixty-six books. These sixty-six are divided into two main divisions: The Old Testament (Old Covenant), and the New Testament (New Covenant). It is well then to read and study the Bible not as though it were one book, but as two collections of sacred writings. The Old Testament was written by Jews in the Hebrew language. It is much larger and more varied in content than the New Testament. It is a religious record of the life of the Hebrew people, telling of the creation of the world, the life of the Patriarchs from Adam to Abraham, and then relating in much greater detail the establishment and history of the people of Israel. It is interesting to look at the books of the Old Testament as they were compiled and classified by the Jewish people. THE OLD TESTAMENT I. The Law (Also called Pentateuch or Torah)53 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy 53Hebrew word for law. II. The Prophets A. Historical: Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1, 2, Kings 1, 2 B. Literary: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi. III. The Writings A. Historical and narrative: Ruth, Esther, Chronicles 1, 2. B. Prophetic: Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah. C. Poetic: Psalms, Song of Solomon, Lamentations. D. Philosophical (wisdom literature): Proberbs, Job, Ecclesiastes. IV. Apocrypha A group of "hidden" writings, written from 200 BC to 200 AD, which have not been accepted on a par with the above groups and which do not appear in the King James Bible. Through the centuries devout Jews have held the Law of Moses, the first five books, to be the most sacred part of the Old Testament Canon. This is due to several factors. They tell the heroic story of the great founders of Israel: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, and of the establishment of Israel as a nation under moses, to them the greatest of the prophets. Here is a record of how God chose Israel, brought her out of bondage n Egypt, and established her as a nation in the Holy land of Canaan, and revealed to her great religious and moral truths. The prophetic writings were the second group of books to be collected and accepted as scripture by the Jews. This portion of the Old Testament, particularly the fifteen literary prophetic books, has gained increasing respect among both Jews and Gentiles in recent centuries. The writings of Amos, Hosea, Micah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Jonah contain religious poetry and concepts which are unexcelled in the entire Bible, and in some ways by anything that has ever been written. The third group of Old Testament books, the Writings, was the last to be accepted as part of scripture.54 They have been loved and appreciated by the Jews and Christians, but have not carried equal authority in matters of belief and doctrine as have the Law and the Prophets. Their value has been more of a meditative and devotional character with some historical interest. 54When Jesus was asked which is the great commandment in the Law, he replied by stating the love of God and the love of Man saying, "On these two hang (or depend) all the Law and the Prophets." He did not mention the Writings, perhaps because while they were known, they had not as yet become part of the Jewish scripture. The Old Testament as a whole is large in size, unexcelled in literature, rich in human interest and biography, and contains a great many wonderful and varied religious teachings -- devotion, law, wisdom, moral and religious teaching. This book is also the most difficult to understand, presenting serious problems of interpretation to the careful and earnest student. THE NEW TESTAMENT The New Testament is an outgrowth of the establishment of the Pristine or Primitive Church of Jesus Christ. Jesus, Peter, and Paul in establishing the Christian faith, spoke as moved upon by the spirit quoting at times to their Jewish listeners from the Old Testament. Their sayings and writings were cherished so much by the Christian communities that they were preserved, copied, exchanged, and finally collected and canonized into our present New Testament. Let us take a view of the books within the New Testament. I. The Gospels Mark, Matthew, Luke, John. II. Acts Written by Luke, this is a continuation of his gospel, telling of the establishment of the Church under Peter and Paul. III. The Epistles of Paul (thirteen in number) Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon. IV. Hebrews Traditionally ascribed to Paul, it was written to all Christians to encourage them in the persecutions they were suffering. V. General or Universal Epistles Written to the Church at large -- 1 Peter, James, Jude, 2 Peter, 1, 2, and 3 John. VI. Revelation A highly dramatic and symbolic writing, difficult to understand, declaring the downfall of Rome and the triumph of Christ. The New Testament, it is believed, was originally written in everyday Greek, the cultural language of the Graeco-Roman world of the First Century AD. As the above outline indicates, the New Testament is a collection of writings of various types and character. The life and mission of Jesus Christ is the central and unifying theme of these twenty-seven remarkable books. THE LATTER-DAY SAINT ATITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLE Jews and Christians entertain various views of the Bible. On the one extreme some Christians believe in the verbal authority of scripture, holding that every word and every sentence is the word of God to be accepted authoritatively. On the other extreme, there are liberal Christians who believe the Bible to be an interesting book but having no more authority than the message itself dictates to the mind and heart of the reader. This view holds that part of the Bible are inspiring and commend themselves to conscience and much of it is purely human and not the best of morality and religion at that. In between these two extremes is a great variety of points of view toward the Bible. Latter-day Saints reject both extreme positions. The Bible, to us, is not a perfect work inspired in every word or line, or equally in every passage or book. It has its limitations. On the other hand, it is, to us, far more than an inspiring document. We accept it, with some qualifications shortly to be explained, as the Word of God. It is an authoritative record of God's revelations to man, a pillar of our faith, held in love and respect by Latter-day Saints. In the remaining part of this chapter we shall try to explain just how we accept and interpret this sacred writing. The Bible is not without error. When it was first written, both the Old Testament in Hebrew and the New Testament in Greek, there was no printing press. For many centuries scribes copied the text laboriously and no doubt earnestly from one parchment sheet or papyrus roll to another. In the process of copying, errors were bound to have been made and then transmitted to new copies. Not only that, but conscientious scholars could hardly resist the temptation to clarify the meaning of a passage to inspire or safeguard the faith of a later generation. Interpolations and deletions occurred in this manner. The Bible has undergone many translations from ancient to modern languages. In any translation there is some leeway, some differences of opinion, some loss or change of the original meaning. The story of the translation of the Bible alone would seem to nullify the possibility of believing in its verbal authority. The Eighth Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads in part: "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly ..." A knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, a study of the many translations of the Bible into modern languages, including one's own, and thoughtful and prayerful consideration of the text reveal the wisdom of this qualification Joseph Smith placed upon the divinity of the Bible. A study of the Bible itself indicates that it is not all on the same religious and moral plane. This is particularly true of the Old Testament. Parts of this great work were written by unknown authors who make no claim to be speaking for God. Their work was retained and adopted into the Canon because of its literary merit, wisdom, or historical interest to the people of Israel. Other portions of the book come to use through the prophets who are speaking with authority and conviction for God. For example, the Song of Solomon is a great love poem appreciated for its literary beauty, but of negligible religious value. Ecclesiastes is a masterful literary work of much practical wisdom, but quite foreign to the tenor of most of the Old Testament and almost opposite in its teaching about life after death to the teaching on this same subject in the New Testament. Much of the historical material in the Old Testament cannot compare in inspiration and value to us today with parts of the Law of Moses and the writings of the more important of the literary prophets. Even the Apostle Paul acknowledged on occasion that he was giving his own opinion and not speaking by way of commandment. "But I speak this (about marriage) by permission, and not of commandment."55 This may well account for Paul's contradictory statements about marriage, in which he both discourages and strongly approves of it. 55Note 1 Corinthians 7:6, 7 and entire chapter. One does not have to seek far to find the reasons for this difference in revelation within the Holy Bible. As already noted, the Bible is not one book, but a collection of sixty-six separate books, some of which are themselves collections of many writings, such as Proverbs and Psalms. We believe that God not only speaks to man, but does so in a way that man can understand him. As we read the scripture, therefore, we must not only keep God in mind, but also the prophet or the writer, and the people to whom he was speaking. This is clearly stated in a revelation to Joseph Smith: "Behold, I am God and have spoken it; these commandments are of me, and were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to understanding. "And inasmuch as they erred it might be made known; "And inasmuch as they sought wisdom they might be instructed; "And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent; "And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time." (D&C 1:24-28) To illustrate further the adaptation of revelation to man, we might compare the law of the Lord as given to the people through Moses, as found in Leviticus and Deuteronomy, with words of Christ, as found in the Sermon on the Mount. The law of Moses contains much that is as lofty and advanced in morality as the morality Jesus taught. For example, note this wonderful consideration for the poor and the stranger. "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. "And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God." (Leviticus 19:9, 10) On the other hand, we read in the same book: "And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; "Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again." (Leviticus 24:19, 20) Jesus, in contrast with this latter passage, taught us: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: "But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. "And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. "Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. "For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? "And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:38-48) Back in an age when a man, if offended by another person, was likely to take vengeance on him and his family, this Mosaic law of justice, "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" represented an advance in the morality of the day. Jesus' law of loving an enemy represents a still further advance in religion. Paul said of the law of Moses: "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." (Galatians 3:24, 25) It is unfair to the Bible to interpret it as though it were equally inspired of God in all books and passages. Some writers were more inspired than others; Christ, himself, reached new heights of inspiration and revelation because he was the Son of God and because of his own wonderful intellectual and moral life. SOME GUIDES TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE BIBLE As we read the scripture, we should do so with a few guides in mind, which will help us to understand and appreciate it, and to interpret it honestly and fairly. We have space only to indicate and suggest these guides, some of which have already been mentioned in this and in the last chapter. 1. We should try to check the accuracy of translation. This is not easy to do since most of us are not familiar with the original languages of Hebrew and Greek. We can study a great number of translations and scholarly commentaries, and thereby arrive at the opinion of men of learning. Our only other check is our own practical wisdom and the inspiration we may seek and receive from the Lord. 2. We should reach each book within the Bible as a separate work, seeking to learn what we can about the language, author, people, and circumstances of the day. This we can do by referring to a good Bible commentary and by studying the best historical works on the subject. Often the latter are less prejudiced and more fair than books published by churches. The little book of Amos, for example, becomes much richer in meaning if we know that Amos lived in the Eighth Century BC in Judea and went north to the Kingdom of Israel at a time when Israel was enjoying a post-war prosperity and the people were both self-righteous, shallow, and hyopcritical in their "religious life." It is helpful to know that when Amos speaks of the "kine of Bashan"56 he is not speaking of well-fed cattle grazing on the best pasture land of Israel, but of well-fed women in Israel, prodding their husbands to oppress the poor while they live in luxury with no mercy for the poor and afflicted in Israel. 56Amos, Chapter 4. 3. We should interpret single passages in their context. Single verses are written as part of passages; single passages are part of larger themes. It is unfair to the meaning of scripture to interpret a single verse without being sure that the interpretation is in harmony with that which goes before or after. In practically every religion some writers are guilty of this practice of singling out verses favorable to a position taken on some point of doctrine. This we should guard against doing in fairness to the book and to truth. One can prove almost anything from the Bible if one selects his own verses out of context. As an illustration, consider the verse in 1 John 4:8, which reads: "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." The last part of this verse has been quoted sincerely as proof that God is love, nothing more. Taken by itself it says just that. However, if one reads the entire little book of 1 John, one notes that God is more than love. The author stresses this one attribute of Deity because a major purpose of his writing the book was to inspire men to love one another. 4. We should interpret single ideas in scripture in the context of religion as a whole. In a lecture, an architect said that there are three things an architect keeps in mind as he plans a house: soundness, utility, and delight or beauty. These are wonderful guides to home planning. Everything one does, whether in planning the garage or the kitchen, must be sound, functional, and delightful to be completely satisfying. This same method of referring single ideas back to a few big fundamental guides applies equally well in the study, interpretation, and living of religion. One should not base his faith on single passages or ideas in the Bible taken separately, one at a time. He should search for the big fundamentals in scripture which are taught or implied over and over again. These should become his guides, giving structure and consistency to his religious views. For example, read the entire Bible to see what the big, oft-repeated concepts about God are. With these in mind, one brings to an interpretation of a single passage the larger Biblical views of the nature and character of God. When we proceed in this way, we know that God is more than love, for the scripture teaches again and again that he is Creator of the universe, Revelator to the prophets, a Person of justice as well as a Person of mercy and love. What do the scriptures teach about man when we study them thoroughly? Is the freedom and responsibility of man reiterated again and again and implied in practically all scriptural teaching? If so, it should become a guide to our interpretation of each passage of scripture. A single verse which appears to deny man's agency cannot be taken at face value as a final source of the doctrine of man, as some theologians have taken isolated verses from Paul. The great fundamentals of religion pertaining to God and man should guide us in interpreting all passages and lesser ideas. We cannot accept as truth interpretations of scripture which deny the Fatherhood, justice, impartiality, and love of God, or the freedom, worth, and brotherhood of man. In any field of life we do well to live by fundamental principles; this applies to religion no less than to business or the practice of medicine. 5. We should keep in mind the Spirit and emphasis of Jesus Christ. Christians, who look to Jesus Christ as the great teacher, revelator of the Father, the Son of God, and their Savior and Redeemer, do well to make his life and teaching normative for their own interpretations of scripture and religion. He fulfilled and thereby did away with many things in the Old Testament. Other teachings he strongly affirmed and strengthened. We believe that we should have his concept of God and man in mind as we read all scripture. When we find ideas which contradict his Spirit and teachings in the scriptures, then we cannot accept them for ourselves and live by them. Either our interpretation is wrong or there is an error of translation, or there is a teaching adapted to people of different needs, circumstances, or understanding, or there is some other human limitation in the picture. Great fundamentals of religion are found in the Bible, including the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel, although contained in the Bible, is greater than the Book. So we use the Gospel to interpret all passages in the Bible. 6. We should remember the poetic character and the rich imagery of Biblical writers. Jesus himself chose strong figures of speech to drive a great religious truth home. He said, for example, Ye are the salt of the earth. Ye are the light of the world.57 57Matthew 5:13, 16. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets.58 58Matthew 23:33, 37. The religious teaching, implicit in these sayings is to be taken literally, but not always the figure of speech which makes the teaching remembered. 7. We should read the scripture with humility, prayerfully seeking inspiration from Deity as we read. If they were written by men of God under his inspiration, surely, the same kind of attitude is needed by the reader and by the student if he is to gain what went into their writing. When we read poetry, we do so in a poetic mood, with feeling as well as thought, searching for the mood of the poem. Much scripture is also poetic and cannot be appreciated except with feeling, with aspiration, and with a desire to worship. The Bible is not a treatise in philosophy, nor a scientific textbook, nor a scholarly, thoroughgoing historical chronicle, nor even a text in theology. It is a deeply religious and moral work, trying to teach Israel and all men how to worship and serve God and how to deal fairly and considerately with fellow men. As Latter-day Saints, we love and cherish the Bible just for what it is. It is neither perfect nor complete as a revelation of God to man, but it is the largest, richest, and most revered scripture we know. Our faith had its origin in a boy's faith in the Bible. That faith led to more revelation to which we shall now turn.59 59We have not tried to give all guides to the reading of scripture, but enough, we hope, to give the reader the feeling of our own approach to scripture. CHAPTER 16 OTHER SCRIPTURES Latter-day Saints believe in the Bible and have great respect and reverence for this ancient scripture.60 However, to us, the Bible is not the complete and final word of God to men. Consistent with our doctrines of God, man, and revelation, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does not reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."61 As the fruit of this continuous revelation of God to man, the Church has three volumes of scripture in addition to the Bible: The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. These additional scriptures do not supplant, discredit, nor compete with the Bible any more than the second, third, and fourth children in a family drive out the first child or diminish his place. These other scriptures supplement the Bible and strengthen our faith in and our understanding of this remarkable Judeo-Christian record. 60Note Chapter 15. 61Ninth Article of Faith. Our purpose in this chapter will be to briefly review these three modern-day scriptures. THE BOOK OF MORMON The earliest and best known among these new scriptures is the Book of Mormon. It was published in the spring of 1830, the same year the Church was organized. The story of the Book of Mormon is intimately related to the origin of the Latter-day Saint movement. Our nickname, "The Mormons," by which we are most commonly known, is an appellation given to us by "non- Mormons" and a take-off from the name of this scripture. The Book of Mormon is a controversial book. It has, on the one hand, been condemned as a fraud, as the worst kind of deception perpetrated in the name of religion. On the other hand, it has been appreciated and loved by great numbers who have been converted to our faith by its spirit and message. Like the Bible, it has humbled the proud and brought hope and comfort to many contrite hearts. On one thing all can agree -- it is a remarkably original and interesting record. A Record of a Branch of the House of Israel Just as the Bible contains the story and record of the Israelites and their progenitors, so the main part of the Book of Mormon is the story of a branch of the House of Israel which left Palestine and came to the American continent and established a great civilization here. To be more specific, the Book of Mormon is a record of three small colonies of people who left the Old World of Mesopotamia and Canaan and became great civilizations of the Western Hemisphere. Unusual though such a story may sound on first hearing, it fits very naturally into the Biblical account of the scattering of Israel among the peoples of the earth. A brief survey of Book of Mormon peoples will give us better perspective of the content of the Book: BOOK OF MORMON PEOPLES I. Jaredites from Mesopotamia This first colony left the Old World at the time of the building of the tower of Babel; became a great people in America; destroyed themselves a few centuries before Christ in civil war. Their record and last survivor was found by a later Book of Mormon colony, the Mulekites. II. The Lehi Colony from Jerusalem, 600 BC This is the main colony in the Book of Mormon. Lehi, a devout man living in Jerusalem shortly before the fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar, 586 BC, learned by revelation of the impending captivity of his people. He was inspired by God to leave Jerusalem with his family, and a few others and was led in a remarkable way to the Western Hemisphere. Here his sons split into two mutually antagonistic peoples -- the Lamanites and the Nephites. The former became a primitive and nomadic people; the Nephites became more civilized with all the virtues and vices which attend such a people. The bulk of the Book of Mormon was written by these Nephites, and tells of their own prophets and their struggle to maintain the faith of their fathers and also of their relationship with their enemies, the Lamanites, who harassed them endlessly except for unusual times when some of them merged as one people. The Nephites were finally destroyed by their own internal dissension and wickedness at the hands of the Lamanites in about 421 AD. The Book of Mormon covers, in its main story, about 1000 years of history of this Lehi Colony. It is believed by the Latter-day Saints that the Lamanites lived on in the Americas and became the ancestors of many of the American Indians and the inhabitants of some of the Isles of the Pacific today. III. The Mulek Colony from Jerusalem, 600 BC A third colony, headed by Mulek, son of King Zedekiah of Judah, also fled Jerusalem about this same time and came to the Americas. After several centuries62 these Mulekites were found by the Nephites and joined them to protect themselves against the Lamanites. Hence the Mulekite record is meager as far as it is known to us in the Book of Mormon. 62The exact date is not known, sometime between 720 and 135 BC. See Omni. The Book of Mormon itself does not purport to be a history of all pre- Columbian peoples in the Western Hemisphere. It simply tells briefly the story of these three peoples who came to this Continent. Its story ends in 421 AD. What may have happened elsewhere on the American Continent before, during, or after the Nephite record was written (600 BC - 421 AD), we have no way of knowing. The Book of Mormon is a record of three peoples, at least two of which developed significant civilizations. In fact, the Book of Mormon is not a historical book in the modern usage of the term. It is silent on many aspects of life. Economic, cultural, and political life are quite incidental to its main interest and theme. The history of the people, as told in the Book of Mormon, is quite involved and difficult to follow; and it is impossible to chart the geographical location or the migrations of the Book of Mormon peoples with certainty.63 63Several ardent Latter-day Saint students of the Book of Mormon have written books on the geography of the Book of Mormon. Their own disagreements among themselves is evidence of the difficulty, and the futility of the study. A New Witness for Christ The original writers of the Book of Mormon were religious men, many of them prophets of God. Their sole purpose in writing, just as it was that of Amos or Isaiah, was to bring their people unto God, and to persuade them to believe in Christ and to do good, not evil, to one another. In the very beginning, this religious purpose of the Book is declared on its fly-leaf: "... Which is to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever -- And also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting himself unto all nations -- And now, if there are faults they are the mistakes of men; Wherefore, condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of Christ. Nephi, its first author, writes with the same religious intent, "And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God. "For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved. "Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world. "Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men. (1 Nephi 6:3-6) In his last words to his people, this first spiritual and practical leader of the Nephites again declares his purpose. "But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I know that he will hear my cry. "And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people. And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal. "And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the devil. "And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good." (2 Nephi 33:3-5, 10) Other writers in the Book of Mormon, who continue the record, write with the same religious emphasis.64 64Note Jacob 1:2-8 and Moroni 10. How to Read the Book of Mormon One who would read the Book of Mormon as geography, history, a manual in military science and tactics, a source book of archaeology and anthropology, or as the object of literary criticism, may find considerable interest, but he will certainly miss the main theme and spirit of the Book. We believe it should be read with the same emphasis and intent with which it was written. It should be read as a religious record of a devoutly religious people, whose roots lay deep in the history of Israel. It throws interesting light on the history of Israel. Nephites and Lamanites were descendants of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Lord's fulfillment of his promises to Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. The Book of Mormon is a hithertoo unknown part of this scattering of Israel among the nations that began earnestly with the Fall of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) to Assyria in about 722 BC and reached another high point in the Babylonian captivity of Judah in 586 BC. The Book of Mormon bears witness of God's love for all men, both Jew and Gentile, and of his efforts to bring about his righteous purposes among men. God is a real, living person actively at work in the affairs of men, yet respecting their freedom to do as they will. The Book of Mormon is especially forceful in its teachings about the brotherhood of man. Again and again it condemns pride and selfish living and pleads for generosity, mercy, and greater equality of goods and rights among men. In overall tone and attitude it is compassionate and humble. On a number of doctrines and practices of the Church, it makes substantial and unique contributions as well as affirming much that is taught in the Bible. These we shall bring out, as we have done already to some extent, as we develop the doctrines and practices of the Church. Here we shall list a few passages on certain subjects, should the reader wish to sample the Book of Mormon. Faith Alma 32:17-43 pp. 289-291 Repentance Jacob 2 pp. 119-122 Alma 5 pp. 217-223 Baptism 2 Nephi 31 pp. 112-115 Mosiah 18 pp. 180-183 Moroni 6 pp. 520 Moroni 8 pp. 525-527 Sacrament 3 Nephi 18 pp. 442-444 Moroni 4 & 5 pp. 519-520 Revelation 2 Nephi 28:24-32 pp. 108-109 2 Nephi 29 pp. 109-111 2 Nephi 31:1-3 pp. 113 Impartiality of God 2 Nephi 26:23-33 pp. 103-104 Good Government Mosiah 29 pp. 204-207 Its Verification It is not our purpose here to discuss the controversy that has raged over the Book of Mormon. there is no sure external proof by which one can with certainty invalidate or substantiate the Book of Mormon story. The investigator, as well as the member of the Church is left to his own resources. We invite and encourage all men to read the Book of Mormon with the same attitude and guides which we have recommended for the testing of revelation or the reading of the Bible. Let them read thoughtfully, but also with an open mind and with humility. Let them weigh the spirit of this book. Is it religous, moral, and does it ring true and seem genuine? Does it contribute anything to their knowledge of religion? Above all, will it help them to be better Christians, truer children of God, and real brothers to fellow men? If read with questions such as these in mind, one may learn of its value and source. The book itself in the closing chapter, suggests to the reader the final test of its truthfulness and origin. "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things. "And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore, nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that he is. "And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever." (Moroni 10:3-7) THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS The Bible and the Book of Mormon are voices from the past, bearing witness of God's revelation to man in former times. The Doctrine and Covenants is uniquely modern and contemporary. It is a collection mainly of revelations received by Joseph Smith, first Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It also contains a few letters, statements of beliefs, minutes of a meeting, an historical account, miscellaneous instructions, and a revelation received by Brigham Young.65 With one exception, the writings, contained in the Doctrine and Covenants were all written between 1822 and 1847, within a period of twenty-five years. 65See T. Edgar Lyon, An Introduction to the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price, p. 9. This brief work by a careful and well-trained Latter-day Saint teacher of history is a helpful companion to the study of the Doctrine and Covenants. The Doctrine and Covenants is a record of vital revelations received and decisions made incident to the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and his Church. It is an excellent illustration of how God speaks to men -- "here a little and there a little" and in response to man's desire and need. Each revelation and writing grew out of a life-situation of the Church or some of its members. It is a collection of 137 separate, distinct, and brief statements of beliefs, practices, and exhortations. Unlike the Bible and the Book of Mormon, it does not contain a running story. Each section is wholly separate from those which precede and follow it, though some, of course, deal with the same or with related problems. This modern and distinctly Latter-day Saint scripture seems to us to achieve four basic things: 1. It contains some excellent statements concerning Church doctrine and beliefs. 2. It contains important instructions concerning the organization of the priesthood and of the Church and how these are to function. 3. Many revelations have to do with solving the everyday problems and crises which arose in the life of a young and dynamic movement, such as missionary work, colonizing, printing, persecution, finances. 4. Many sections concern themselves with reproof, warning, encouragement, and exhortation to live righteously. How to Read the Doctrine and Covenants The Doctrine and Covenants is not a single book, to be read with continuity from cover to cover. Each Section is a separate unit, to be read and studied by itself. Some Sections are readily understood just as they stand because they deal with fundamental or universal principles; others have little meaning apart from some knowledge of the problem or historical situation which occasioned them. Some Sections are unified in subject matter; others contain a number of subjects within a single Section. For those who would sample this book, we suggest the following sections: Section Subject 4, 12, 14, 18 The spirit of Church service and missionary work 20 The organization and government of the Church 42 Practical religious living 46 Spiritual gifts in the Church 59 Sabbath-day worship and living 76 A vision of life after death 84, 107, 121:34-46 Priesthood -- its organization and functions 89 The Word of Wisdom 93 The nature and destiny of man 134 Declaration of beliefs regarding government and laws in general THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE The Pearl of Great Price is the smallest of our four Scriptures and the last to be accepted by the Church as scripture. This little book was first published in Liverpool in 1851. It was a collection of previously printed writings placed in one volume and used in missionary work in England. It was not only appreciated in England but also among the members of the Church everywhere. Thus in 1902, after the deletion of some revelations which were already printed in the Doctrine and Covenants, it was presented to the Saints assembled in General Conference of the Church and unanimously adopted as a scripture or Standard Work of the Church. Like the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants, this book is not a single writing, but is a compilation of four separate, brief writings as follows: I. The Book of Moses II. The Book of Abraham III. Extracts from the History of Joseph Smith IV. The Articles of Faith We shall indicate briefly the nature of each of these four writings. The Book of Moses Following the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith became an earnest student of the Bible. Under the inspiration of God, he sought to learn of its correctness of translation. While he was thus engaged, he received a revelation from God of what had been a revelation to Moses. This little Book of Moses, therefore, parallels in content much of the early account found in Genesis from Adam to Noah. It also contains additional material of interest and value not found in the Biblical account. For example, Chapter 1 gives a most inspiring picture of the vast and continuous creations of God, through Christ, for the purpose "of bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Chapter 4 gives new insight into man's pre-earth existence, his freedom of choice, and the purpose of his coming to earth. The Book of Abraham A French archaeologist by the name of Antonio Sebolo excavated eleven mummies in June, 1831, near the ancient city of Thebes, Egypt. Upon his return to France, he died while his ship stopped at Trieste. He had willed his discoveries to an Irish nephew, Michael H. Chandler. The latter, meantime, had left Dublin, Ireland and immigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So the mummies were shipped to Mr. Chandler in America. Chandler had no interest in mummies and manuscripts found therewith, except to turn them into cash. Hearing of Joseph Smith and of his work as translator of the Book of Mormon, Chandler took his inheritance to Kirtland, Ohio, to visit the Mormon prophet. Joseph Smith examined two papyrus rolls, found with the mummies, and declared them to be writings of Father Abraham and Joseph who was sold into Egypt. The Church bought the same from Mr. Chandler. In 1842, in Nauvoo, this writing, called the Book of Abraham, was first published. This little book tells of Abraham's life in Chaldea, of his call to leave his country and go to Canaan, of his sojourn in Egypt. Chapter 3 is particularly interesting in its definite teaching about the pre-earth life of man and the principle of foreordination. Extracts from the History of Joseph Smith This part of the Pearl of Great Price is taken from the Prophet's diary or journal-history. It includes his inspired revision of Matthew 23:39 and 24; his own story about the beginnings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, and thirteen Articles of Faith. Joseph Smith's own story of his life and religious experiences which led to the establishment of this work is told in simple, straightforward language and is a beloved piece of history to Latter-day Saints. The Articles of Faith are statements of thirteen propositions of faith. They were first written at the close of a letter to a Chicago newspaper editor, Mr. John Wentworth. This man had written the Prophet Joseph Smith asking him for an account of the history and beliefs of the Latter-day Saints. The Articles of Faith were not intended as a complete statement of belief, or creed. Some important Latter-day Saint beliefs are not contained therein. However, it is the most compact, comprehensive statement of our beliefs one can find in Latter-day Saint literature.66 66For a larger, clear and simple statement on the origin, history, and content of The Pearl of Great Price, see T. Edgar Lyon, ibid, chap. 15. CHAPTER 17 THE NATURE AND MISSION OF A PROPHET In discussing revelation and scripture in recent chapters we have made frequent reference to prophets. This is natural, because in Biblical times and culture, prophets played a dynamic role in the life of the people. In fact, one cannot appreciate very fully the religion of the Jews or of Jesus and his immediate disciples without insight into the mission of a prophet of God. The name and role of a prophet seem to have largely disappeared in post- Biblical Christianity. Reference is made, of course, to prophets of old like Moses and Jeremiah, but living prophets no longer emerged as leaders in the churches of Christendom. Prophets play a vital role in the life of the Latter-day Saints. From the beginning of our history, we have not only been inspired and guided by Biblical prophets, but we have had prophets of our own. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established by revelation through Joseph Smith. He became its first prophet and has been succeeded by leaders to this day whom we sustain as "prophets, seers, and revelators." One can appreciate neither our religion nor our Church without an understanding of the mission and calling of a prophet. In this chapter, we shall consider the nature and mission of a prophet in general and his role in the Latter-day Saint Church. PROPHET AS FORETELLER A prophet is commonly thought of by some people as a man of God who is inspired to predict the future. In this light he is thought of as a divine fortune-teller or soothsayer, foretelling future events in human history. In this sense anyone who predicts the future in business, politics, or even sports is called figuratively a prophet. As a matter of fact this predictive insight and ability is one function of the prophetic calling. We have a number of illustrations in scripture of prophets predicting specific events which were to take place to individuals and nations, and which did at a later time. Amos clearly foresaw the downfall of Israel to Assyria, which took place in 722 BC. Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted the captivity of Judah, which took place in 586 BC. The Book of Deuteronomy proposes the predictive content of a prophet's message as a test of a prophet's divine calling and inspiration: "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." (Deuteronomy 18:21, 22) A prophet of God ought not to be thought of, however, as a fortuneteller. And though, on occasion he has predicted the specific blessing or the sure doom of individuals, his main interest has always been focused on larger and more universal issues. His predictions have been concerned with the welfare of all his people, and the welfare of other nations and even of mankind. Under the inspiration of God he has been led to understand the great moral laws of life and to see the consequences of people's obedience or disobedience to them in the life of individuals. PROPHET AS SPOKESMAN FOR GOD A prophet is one who speaks for God. Sometimes, as we have seen, his speaking relates itself to specific future events. This is rather the exception. Prophecy as prediction has the value of giving hope and comfort to the God-fearing and is intended as a warning and whip to inspire repentance in those who ignore God's will. Most of the time, however, a prophet is talking about present conditions. He is speaking to his own people or even to mankind, interpreting the will of God to them here and now. He is telling his people what God requires of them and earnestly persuading them to carry out the divine will. A prophet is a teacher and preacher of righteousness, an interpreter of life according to the mind and will of God. The relative importance of a prophet's roles as predictor of the future and spokesman in the present is well stated by a recent Latter-day Saint leader: "A careful study of the etymology of the word and the lives, works, and character of the prophets of old makes clear the fact that a prophet was, and is, one called to act as God's messenger. He is to teach men the character of God and define and make known to the people His will. He is to denounce sin and declare the punishment of the transgression. He is to be above all else a preacher of righteousness, and when the people depart from the path which he has marked out for them to follow, is to call them back to the true faith. He is an interpreter of the Scripture, and declares its meaning and application. When future events are to be declared he predicts them, but his direct, and most important calling is to be a fore-teller, or a director of present policy rather than a foreteller of that which is to come." (A. W. Ivins, Conference Report, October, 1925, p. 20) Prophets are a singular group of men. There are none like them in the history of mankind. Philosophers have discussed the possibility of God's existence and what his nature and character might be; scientists have painstakingly studied the wonders of his creations; artists and poets have tried through symbol and feeling to interpret life's meaning to us; but only the prophets have had the assurance to speak to us in his name. With compelling conviction and as with a voice of thunder, they have dared to speak for the God of the Universe to the children of men. Against great odds, with kings and priests threatening their lives and people jeering at their words, they have been found speaking for God as though he, himself, were speaking in the first person to his people. This situation is vividly illustrated in the life of Amos. Amos was a person of humble calling, "an herdman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit" who left the hills of Judea and went up to the Northern Kingdom of Israel. There he condemned the whole house of Israel for its injustice and lack of mercy in human relations, and he predicted the captivity of this people because of their corruptness in economic and political life. Amaziah the priest of Bethel and priest to King Jeroboam II, did not like the condemnation of this shepherd from the Kingdom of Judah, and told him: "O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:" (Amos 7:12) But Amos, with fiery indignation replied, "Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: "And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. "Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. "Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land." (Amos 7:14-17) A prophet, when fulfilling his calling, never speaks for himself. He is an emissary, one who is sent of God to deliver a message to his people, or to perform a work. This emissary-character of the prophetic mission is forcefully portrayed in the calling of Moses. To him came the divine call: "And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11) Moses hesitated, resisting the call, saying "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt." And the Lord again said, "Certainly I will be with thee, and this shall be a token that I have sent thee ... " Moses finally accepted the call as God's emissary to Pharaoh and to Israel. Moses was always true to the emissary-character of his prophetic calling, according to the Old Testament record, except on one occasion when he took the honor of his achievement unto himself.67 This failure denied him the privilege of entering the promised land. 67See Numbers 20:7-13. A prophet's own confidence and courage in a trying mission is sustained by his faith in his divine calling. When people hearken to him, it is because they also believe him to be God's messenger and emissary. PROPHET AS LEADER Prophets of old were not only teachers, spokesmen in matters of principle and doctrine; they were also leaders actively engaged in the political and economic life of their people. Moses was judge, political and military leader, and legislator for his people. Isaiah stood as a prophet-statesman to the kings of Judah, telling them both how to live and how to conduct their foreign relations. Men like Peter and Paul not only preached, but organized branches of the Church, sustained leaders, and gave instruction in Church policy and the everyday life of the people. Alma, in Book of Mormon history, served as chief judge, high priest, and prophet to his people, later giving up the judgeship to devote full time to the ministry. Other Book of Mormon prophets were military leaders, fighting to preserve the liberty of their people and, at the same time, preachers of righteousness for God. Prophets of God who have played a large role in Biblical times were versatile men, many of them having been poets, statesmen, judges, and advisors to kings, foretellers, emissaries, and leaders of the people in the name of God. THE CHARACTER OF A PROPHET It is interesting to study the character of the prophets of God. One finds them humble before God, feeling their unworthiness, resisting their call. Moses insisted that he was "slow of speech, and of a slow tongue."68 Isaiah declared himself to be "a man of unclean lips in the midst of a people of unclean lips."69 Jeremiah responded to the call by saying "Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak for I am a child."70 These men were overwhelmed by the majesty and holiness of God and the awesome nature of their own responsibility before him. 68Exodus 4:10. 69Isaiah 6:5. 70Jeremiah 1:6. In contrast these men were bold and fearless before men. Though they seemed to have loved their people, yet they could turn on them as a lion on his prey and devour them in their hypocrisy and deceit before God and men. The first chapter of Isaiah gives us a graphic picture of Isaiah's courage and directness. Note a few verses: "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. "Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. "The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." (Isaiah 1:1-6) A classic example of the character of a Hebrew prophet is given in the dramatic account of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. The prophet calls all Israel together and also the prophets of Baal. He plans a contest between Jehovah and Baal with the Israelites as the audience and witnesses. He seems to be determined to make an end to idolatry in Israel. With great confidence he sets the stage for the big test between the Gods. While the priests of Baal pray for fire from heaven, Elijah mocks them and says sacrastically, "... Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked." (1 Kings 18:27) But when it comes time for Elijah to call upon Jehovah, his tone and whole manner change. Now he is humble, self-effacing, seeking only to be an emissary for God and this for the sake of his people. And so he prays with beautiful simplicity, " ... LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again." (1 Kings 18:36-37) The great prophets of the Old Testament were dynamic men, full to overflowing with emotion, yet keen of mind, sound in principle, and ever on the stage or preparing for action in the life-drama of their people. They were human, too, and knew it. Paul acknowledged that he was among the Apostles and least deserving of the name, yet that he had done more work than they all.71 Peter denied the Savior and on one occasion had to be told by Him, "Get thee behind me, Satan." But Peter grew in stature and understanding, as is clearly evident in the Book of Acts. 711 Corinthians 15:9, 10. PROPHETS TODAY The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, said: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22) "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:11-13)72 72Note also Ephesians 3:3-5. Christ himself is the chief cornerstone of the Church. Apostles and Prophets were to represent the Lord and bring the Saints to a unity of faith and a knowledge of the Son of God. The Pristine Church of Christ in the days of Peter and Paul had Apostles and Prophets. These were not simply offices in the Church. These men performed the functions of prophets. They received revelations; they spoke for God anew, again and again. Peter and Paul were not simply interpreters of the Old Testament; they and others like them, created the writings which became the New Testament. The Apostles in the early Christian Church were prophets of God in the full meaning of the word. The foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Jesus Christ. He revealed himself to Joseph Smith and called him to be a prophet in his name, to receive the truth, to establish his Church, and to do the divine will. Joseph Smith was the first prophet of our Church. He has been succeeded by other prophets, called of God and ordained to this sacred office and work. Each in turn has been the president, prophet, and earthly head of the Church. With him are associated other Apostles and prophets who together fulfill the prophetic calling. The president of the Church we sustain as spokesmen for God, a revelator and emissary, out leader called to interpret and to do God's will among men. PART 5 SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (Comprising Chapters 18 To 28) CHAPTER 18 JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD Thus far in our study, we have considered some of our basic beliefs regarding God the Father, and man, and the principle of revelation by which God communicates his will to man. We turn now to our doctrine of Christ. We shall wish to know who he is and what his mission is in the salvation of men. Our religion is a Christian religion. Jesus Christ is central to our faith. Indeed, we declare our first principle to be "faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." Our Church is named -- not after man, not for any single doctrine, not for some historical event or movement -- but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The word saint occurs frequently in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament.73 In the original Greek it means set apart, separate, holy. Early Christians, through faith in Christ, wished to forsake their sins, their former unholy ways, and become a holy people. We call ourselves Latter-day Saints to distinguish us from members of the Primitive Church of Jesus Christ. We, too, have a desire and determination to become true disciples of Christ, to be his Saints and to encourage all men to be the same. The name of saint, therefore expresses our aspiration through faith in Jesus Christ. 73See Young, Analytical Concordance to the Bible, p. 831, or read one of Paul's Epistles such as Romans, Ephesians, 1 or 2 Corinthians. CHRIST -- ONE OF THE GODHEAD In Chapter 5 we developed our belief that Jesus Christ is separate and distinct from the Father and the Holy Ghost. The three members of the Godhead are one in purpose, power, and in their influence for good, but they are three distinct persons. Each exists as a separate, distinct personality with his own unique mission to perform. Here we shall consider the story of Christ's life and his relationship to God and man. To understand the nature and position of Christ, we must review our concept of God and man briefly. God, the Father, is a Being without beginning of days or end of years. He is self-existent or uncreated, the greatest intelligence in the Universe. Man also in his original intelligent nature, is uncreated, co-eternal with God. Sometime in the distant past, God, the Father, took this original, uncreated intelligence of man and wrought a work of creation on man's behalf. Man became a spirit-child of God. The exact nature of the spiritual creation of man in his pre-earth existence has not been revealed in scripture. Suffice it to say that the Creator took eternal, uncreated intelligence and added to it something of his own divine nature and we became brothers, children of our Heavenly Father. THE FIRSTBORN -- OUR BROTHER Jesus Christ was also an eternal intelligence who became a spirit-child of God long before he was born in the flesh. In fact, in this spirit-creation he was the "Firstborn," our eldest brother. This was made known in a revelation to Joseph Smith which reads: "Now, verily I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the Firstborn ... "(Doctrine and Covenants 93:21) Already in this pre-earth existence he distinguished himself above all the other children of the Father. He became one who "was like unto God." Speaking of this pre-earth life, God revealed the following to Abraham. "And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born. "And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;" (Abraham 3:23-24) It is clear from what follows that this one who "was like unto God" was none other than the person who came to earth as Jesus of Nazareth. Already in the pre-earth life Jesus Christ became a member of the Godhead, and Co-Creator with the Father, of the earth, man's life on the earth, and much more. In the opening verses of the Gospel of John we read of Christ's role in the creation of all things, and of his Godhead." "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. "The same was in the beginning with God. "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:1-3, 14) In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Father also declares: "And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. "And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten." (Moses 1:32, 33) JESUS -- THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON Thus far we have noted that Jesus Christ is a spirit-child of God even as we are. In our pre-earth life he distinguished himself from us in two ways: 1. He was the firstborn, our eldest brother. 2. He became "like unto God" and thereby attained the status of Godhood. With the Father, he became a Creator of heaven and earth and man's life on the earth. Jesus Christ is also a Son of God, we believe, in another and wholly unique sense. The scriptures, both the Bible and our Latter-day Saint Scripture, speak of him as the only Begotten of the Father. The Gospel of John and Hebrews speak of the Savior in this way. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)74 "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son," (Hebrews 11:17) 74Note also John 3:18 and 1:14-18; 1 John 4:9. Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, another early leader in the Latter-day Saint Church, bear witness to Christ's divinity and Sonship in these words: "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all which we give of him: That he lives! "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father -- "That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God. "And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son." (D&C 76:22-25)75 75Read Doctrine and Covenants 76:11-25. Latter-day Saints accept the scriptural account of Jesus Christ's birth on earth. His birth was fore-ordained of God that he might fulfill his mission as the Savior and Redeemer of Men, the Light of the World. He was born of the Virgin Mary. Joseph the carpenter was not his father. In Jesus of Nazareth were combined the mortal nature of his mother, Mary, and the immortal nature of his Godhood. Thus he became, in one sense, like unto his brethren of the earth and subject to hunger, thirst, and human suffering; and at the same time, he had power over life that his brethren knew not, for in him was also the immortal nature of God. Therefore, he could truly and freely give his life for us, his brethren. "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:17, 18) Latter-day Saints accept on faith the miraculous character of the nature of Christ. In some way which we know not, Jesus became the Only Begotten of the Father in flesh. The awe-inspiring words of Gabriel to Mary were, we believe, fulfilled in his birth. "And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. "And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. "And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. "And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. "He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. "Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:28-35) CHAPTER 19 THE MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST To the men who wrote the New Testament, Jesus Christ was a singular person who had come into the world to bring salvation to mankind. He was more than a prophet, more than a teacher, more than a friend. In him was the very light and life of men, the hope of mankind. Note how overwhelming and consuming was their conviction that Jesus Christ was sent by God to all men, and that all men all men needed to have faith in him, to receive him in their hearts. "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15, 16) "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, "If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:8-12) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16) "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;" (Hebrews 5:9) Through the ages since Biblical times, untold millions of men and women -- the learned and unlearned, clergy and laymen, sinners and saints, bond and free -- have looked to Jesus Christ with hope, with faith, with wonder and even with anxiety and bewilderment, trying to understand him and to come to terms with him. He has meant many different things to different individuals and groups of people. A Christian religion is naturally centered in the mission of Christ. The interpretation of this Mission reveals the character of any religion which professes his name. Latter-day Saints affirm in their hearts the beautiful words from John: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."76 We believe, as outlined in the previous chapter, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came into the world to do things for all mankind. What did he come to do? What is his mission among the children of men? This we shall indicate in this chapter. 76John 3:16-17. THE MEANING OF SALVATION Christ lived and died that men might be saved, or gain salvation. In Hebrews we read of him, "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"77 Before we can appreciate what this verse means, we must inquire into the meaning of the word salvation. 77Hebrews 5:9. The root of the word salvation means to save. The entire word means the act of being saved. Taken in this literal sense, there are things in the lives of men from which they would be saved, evils or limitations which they desire and need to overcome. Christ came to save men from these things. We might well ask -- what are the evils of life? What things do we need to overcome? The evils or limitations of life which men need to overcome trace back to three basic characteristics of human life: 1. Mortality, 2. ignorance, and 3. sin. All of man's suffering, frustration, and remorse come, we believe, from one of these causes. Stated postively, Christ came to bring us immortality, knowledge, and the power to conquer sin. I. Mortality There are many people among us who are half-starved, cruelly oppressed, or suffering from incurable diseases. To them life may be a heavy burden and death often a blessing. There are others among us who have sufficient to eat, enjoy the comforts of life and medical care, have access to things of the spirit and rich human companionship. To them, life is not a burden. With William Corey, they may say: "... Sweet, sweet is this human life, So sweet, I fain would breathe it still." But, even for those who enjoy life richly, it is fraught with deep tragedy. The richer and fuller one's life, the greater, in a sense, is the tragedy of its ending in death. To know life in its abundance, in its joy and power, whether in ourselves or in other persons, and then to see it end in death would be tragic indeed if death held final victory over life. Christ died that men might conquer death and life. He came to save us from death. This was his own witness and the triumphant and exultant theme of his disciples. Jesus took the occasion of the raising of Lazarus from the dead to tell us of his power to raise all men from the grave. He said to Martha, "... I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:25-26) Paul is assured of Christ's victory over death. He describes Christ as the first fruits of them that slept and declares that through him all shall be raised from the dead. "O death, where is thy sing? O grave, where is they victory?"78 78Read 1 Corinthians 15. II. Ignorance A second great limitation of man's life is his ignorance, his lack of awareness of the nature of life. Buddha is reported to have said, "Long is the night to him who is awake, long is the mile to him who is tired, long is life to him who does not know the truth." Where there is ignorance, there is fear, superstition and frustration. Man's progress sin all fields has come largely through the discovery and right use of knowledge. This is as true in the social, moral and spiritual life of man as it is in engineering or medicine. Christ came to lead us out of spiritual darkness, to free us from ignorance. He taught us the truths and values of life, the will of God. These he also exemplified. He came to save us from ignorance. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31, 32) III. Sin The third limitation of life is sin.79 To sin is to knowingly and wilfully act contrary to that which one knows to be right. To act knowingly contrary to our own convictions is to sin against ourselves. To act knowingly contrary to that which we know to be for the well-being of society is to sin against society. To act knowingly contrary to that which God has declared to be right is to sin against God. Sin is moral wrongdoing. 79We shall discuss sin and its consequences in detail in Chapter 22. Sin divides the self, brings evil into the lives of our fellow men, and pits us against God and his purpose. It is a most destructive force in life, more so than ignorance, for when we sin we are out of harmony with the laws of God and we also know it. Hence we suffer the evils which come from violating laws, even as we would if we were acting in ignorance. In addition, we suffer all the damage wrought by man working against himself. Christ came to save man from sin, to inspire him to rise above it, and to bring him forgiveness. To understand Christ's relationship to man's sins is a vital part of Christian theology. it, too, will receive our full interest later. Salvation in its literal sense means the act of being saved from death, ignorance, and sin. This is the mission of Jesus Christ -- to save men, or at least participate in the salvation of men from these three limitations and evils of life. THE FALL OF MAN Thus far in this chapter we have been speaking of salvation as it applies to all men, to us here and now. It may help to clarify the subject further if we discuss salvation in more theological terms; if we consider the meaning of the Fall and of the Atonement. Let us consider the whole scriptural story of man's life on earth and see how the mission of Christ relates to it. Christian Churches generally, while they give God full credit for the creation of man and his life on earth, believe that things got off to a bad start. It is believed that Adam and Eve, though originally created in a state of grace and divine favor, committed some grave sin and fell from grace. With their "fall" they plunged all mankind into death, sin, and damnation. Both Catholic and the major Protestant movements of Lutheranism, Zwingliism, and Calvinism have looked upon human nature as being depraved, having inherited original sin from Adam. According to this view, man is wholly evil by nature until God, through Christ, lifts him again into a state of divine grace or favor and redeems him from death and sin. Latter-day Saints hold quite a different concept of the Fall from this traditional point of view briefly described above. In our belief, the "Fall of Man" was not a misfortune. God's plan did not go away in the beginning. Adam was not a sinner who plunged mankind into a depraved and utterly helpless condition. We believe, as the reader will recall,80 that men lived a meaningful, spiritual life as children of God before they were born in the flesh. Earth- life was planned by God and Jesus Christ as a necessary and valuable stage in the eternal progression of men. Men knew of the plan before they were born, and looked forward to coming to the earth to gain the experiences of mortality. 80See Chapter 8. Adam and Eve were two of the noblest children of God. For this reason they were chosen to come to earth and to initiate mortal life for others of God's children. Just how God brought about man's life on earth, we do not know. The Bible is a deeply religious account of creation, not a scientific record. The story of the Fall of man in scripture is an effort to explain the divine origin and purpose of life and should be read with this thought in mind. The story is brief and somewhat figurative and symbolic in language, but from it we can glean a few fundamental religious convictions. Latter-day Saint scriptures have thrown additional light on the creation story. We shall state our basic convictions regarding the Fall of man. Adam and Eve were not sinners in the traditional sense of the word. We believe God gave them a choice of remaining in their pre-mortal state or of taking on mortality with its attendent opportunities and suffering. They were given a choice between two conditions. They could obey the laws of their pre-mortal natures and remain free from death and moral responsibility associated with mortality, or they could become mortal and subject to death and learn the hard lessons of life. Adam and Eve chose the courageous role, the one God wanted them to choose. They "broke" the law of their pre-mortal life, becoming mortal, or subject to death. The Bible says they partook of the fruit of the tree of which God had said, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die."81 81Genesis 3:3. Just how they became mortal, we do not know. But of one thing we are sure, they were not sinners. They chose to leave the presence of God and walk by faith, to learn to cope with the laws and forces characteristic of earth life. They "fell" in the sense that they left the presence of God and became subject to the limitations of mortality, including death, ignorance, and sin. Adam's first choice, as we have seen, was to become mortal or to remain immortal. His second choice was either to remain in ignorance or to receive knowledge and thus become a moral, responsible son of God. He chose the latter alternative. As Latter-day Saints, we honor Adam and Eve because they had the courage and faith to become mortal and also to assume moral responsibility. We believe that in making these two choices, they were doing God's will and initiating the same two great experiences for us, their posterity. The Book of Mormon adds a purposeful, optimistic, and new reference to the Fall. "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. "And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. "But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:22-25) The Doctrine and Covenants, in harmony with the teaching of the Book of Mormon, rejects the whole idea of original sin. "Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God." (D&C 93:38) Men are not born in sin, nor do they inherit the sin of Adam. From Adam we inherit mortality and death. As the Apostle Paul said "by man came death," and "in Adam all die."82 From Adam we have inherited a knowledge of good and evil, the opportunity to become truly moral and spiritual beings. With him we share human nature with its potentiality for life and death, righteousness and sin. Adam was no different in his mortal life from us. He simply had the privilege and honor of initiating life on earth as a full, responsible child of God. Another interesting passage from the Book of Mormon throws light on the Fall. Speaking of little children, we read, "... for behold, as in Adam or by nature, they fall ..." The fall simply means that we became mortal and may rise or fall in our mortal probation. 82See 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22. While Latter-day Saints reject the traditional views of the Fall and nature of man held in Christendom, this does not mean that we in any sense reject the mission of Christ. Man is subject to death. Man is ignorant and needs divine guidance to find the truth, and man does sin. In his choice between good and evil, he inevitably sometimes chooses evil as well as good. He needs salvation from sin. In the wisdom and love of God and Christ, the latter was chosen to be a Savior to mankind, to help him rise above death, ignorance, and sin. CHRIST -- AND THE PURPOSE OF LIFE We have discussed in this chapter thus far the meaning of salvation, and have suggested how Christ is helping us to be saved from death, ignorance, and sin. We have also stated briefly the Latter-day Saint view of the Fall, showing how Adam and Eve became subject to death and sin. We return again now to the mission of the Savior. We wish to indicate what his mission is in the life of men, what he is doing for you and me. Christ's mission may be thought of not only in negative terms -- salvation from death, ignorance, and sin -- but also in positive terms. He lived and died to help men gain immortality and eternal life. He came to earth to help each of us realize the very purpose of life. What is that purpose?83 83See Chapter 9. Men are that they might have joy -- the joy which is the fruit of self- realization of persons who are eternally free and also children of God. Men's destiny is to grow in the likeness of their Eternal Father as manifest in the life of his Son, Jesus Christ. "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) Christ came to lead men to God. He came to inspire us to live as the Father would have us live. He pointed the way to full self-realization, to increasing and lasting joy. He brought us the necessary means, knowledge, and inspiration by which we may fulfill the divine purpose in our creation. This is well stated in a verse of a Latter-day Saint hymn. He marked the path and led the way, And every point defines To light and life and endless day Where God's full presence shines.84 84Eliza R. Snow, "How Great the Wisdom and the Love," verse 4, Hymns, 1985, No. 195. THE ATONEMENT The mission of Christ may be summarized in one word -- the atonement. (Here we shall simply give an overview. Details will be given in subsequent lessons.) The word atonement means literally, at-one-ment. Christ's mission to bring about a state of at-one-ment, agreement or harmony between God and man. Man, dwelling on the earth, subject to the limitations of mortal existence -- to death, ignorance, and sin -- is estranged from his Father in heaven. He needs to be one with his Maker, to know him, and to be worthy to return to him. Christ, the Son of God, is the great Mediator between the Father and his children. His role is to help us effect an at-one-ment between him and us. He accepted the responsibility of overcoming the estrangement between Deity and Man. On this point all interpreters of the atonement probably agree. The important question is: how is it to be done? Some theologians in Christendom have thought of the atonement in this way: When Adam fell, through sin, as they believe it, all mankind was lost. God in his anger, became estranged from men and, as it were turned his back on them. Christ by dying for the sins of men, restored men to favor in the eye of God, bringing about an at-one-ment between the Creator and his creatures. In other words, according to this view, Christ's mission was to reconcile God to fallen humanity. As Latter-day Saints, we believe God to be the living Father of all men. Never has he turned his back on them. He is not estranged from men. The opposite is true. Men frequently estrange themselves from God. Men leave God -- the fountain and source of their lives and, like the Prodigal Son, go into a far country to spend their lives in riotous living. God, like the Father in the Parable, is waiting for his children to return, and is ready to run to meet them. If we may carry the analogy one step further, we may add that the Father has sent Jesus Christ, his only Begotten Son, to bring man back to him. Christ lived and died not to reconcile God to man, but to reconcile man to God. It is man who must have a new vision, a change of heart, and be born again if he is to be one with God. This is clearly indicated in scripture as well as dictated by reason. In speaking of his death on the cross, Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 12:32) And again, he said, "I am come a light into the world, that whatsoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46) Paul, in like vein of thought, wrote, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) Christ's love for mankind and his great desire and effort to bring them unto God is also forcefully stated in the Book of Mormon: "For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation." (2 Nephi 26:23-24) "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God. "And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot." (Moroni 10:32, 33) The Atonement can be suggested in a chart which may help us to visualize the mission of Christ. ATONEMENT Barriers Means (Between man and at-one-ment (Through which Christ helps man helps with God) man overcome these barriers) 1. Mortality Resurection His Spirit Revelation Christ 2. Ignorance His Teaching His Expemplary Life His Church, its gifts and power Insight into our sins Faith to repent 3. Sin Acceptance into his Kingdom Remission of sins The gift of the Holy Ghost CHAPTER 20 THE WAY OF SALVATION Religions differ not only in their concept of the goal of salvation but also in their concept of the means, or way, by which they seek to attain their goal. The way by which Jesus Christ is bringing salvation to man is understood, therefore, variously among Christian religions. Both logically and historically there are three ways, or combinations thereof, by which men of all religions have sought to achieve the goal of life or salvation: I. By the Grace of Deity II. Through the Sacraments of the Church III. Through individual effort and merit Let us consider and illustrate each of these three ways of salvation and then introduce the Latter-day Saint interpretation of how man is saved. I. BY THE GRACE OF DEITY Grace means gift, something that is given without its having been earned or deserved. There are religions which believe that salvation from death and sin is a free gift of God, given to man through the love and mercy of Deity through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul had much to say about grace. He himself had sought salvation by rigid obedience to the Law of Moses, and had not found it. But when he found his faith in Christ, he felt he had become a "new creature in Jesus Christ." He felt that his faith was undeserved on his part, a pure gift of God to him. Hence Paul stresses grace in contrst with works in many passages, one of the best known of which is the following: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: "Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: "That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: "Not of works, lest any man should boast. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10) The Protestant wing of Christianity is founded on belief in the Grace of Deity as the way of salvation. According to the great Reformers, like Luther and Calvin, men are fallen from grace through the Fall of Adam and are utterly depraved, helpless in their own salvation, and condemned before God to an everlasting punishment. God, however, for Christ's sake mercifully extends to man the gift of faith by which divine grace may come to them and save them from eternal damnation. Calvin carried out the doctrine of grace to its logical conclusion. He, in effect, made salvation entirely a matter of God's unsearchable will. Some of mankind were predestined by his grace to eternal life; others by his will, and absence of grace, to eternal punishment. Salvation was a matter of predestination. Men could do nothing either to gain or to lose their salvation. Other great Protestant movements were not as logically rigid as John Calvin's. Still, they taught that salvation was entirely a gift of God, made possible through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. With deep devotion and a feeling of overwhelming dependence, Protestants wrote and sang their hymns of grace. The beloved Christian hymn, "Rock of Ages," conveys the feeling of grace to our hearts. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee; Let the water and the blood From thy wounded side which flowed, Be of sin the double cure; Save from wrath and make me pure. While I draw this fleeting breath, When my eyes shall close in death, When I rise to worlds unknown And behold thee on thy throne, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee. (Hymns, 1985, No. 111) In Protestantism, man does not earn his salvation. It is a gift of God. Man's good works, when he manifests them, are the fruit of grace and evidence of its possession, not a means of gaining grace. II. THROUGH THE SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH A second way of salvation in Christendom is the sacramental way. This way is characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church. No devout Catholic would seek salvation by himself, of his own strength. Nor would he have the faith, like many Protestants do, that the grace of Deity can come to him directly without passing through the portals of the Church. The way of salvation for the believing Catholic is through the sacraments administered by the priesthood of the Church. Ultimately the Catholic, like the Protestant, believes that man is helpless in his own salvation. The Catholic believes just as strongly as the Protestant in the grace of Deity as the great means of salvation from death and sin. The main difference between the Catholic and Protestant views of grace is this: in Protestantism grace comes directly to the heart of man, whereas in Catholicism it comes through the sacraments of the Church, the Church having an inexhaustible treasury of merit (grace) which it may dispense to the believer. Five sacraments, administered to the believer from the cradle to the grave are, in the Catholic belief, vehicles of divine grace which bring remission of sins and salvation to the believer. These sacraments are: 1. Baptism which communicates to the infant the needed grace to remove the stigma and taint of original sin. 2. Confirmation, which brings the gift of the Holy Ghost to strengthen one in his battle with sin. 3. Penance or confession in which absolution from personal, post-baptismal sins is granted on condition of repentance and the performance of certain expiatory work. 4. The Eucharist, the most sacred of all Catholic sacraments, the sacrament of the Lord's supper, in which Catholics participate, believing that Christ dies anew for them, bringing forgiveness of sins. 5. Extreme Unction, or the Last Anointing, is a Catholic rite administered to the seriously ill or those anticipating death, of sin. The believing Catholic puts his trust in the grace of Deity administered through the sacraments of the Church. He is obliged, of course, and is encouraged, to live a good Christian life, but he finds the Savior and his saving mission within the power of the Church. III. BY INDIVIDUAL MERIT The third way of gaining salvation is through individual faith and works. It was taught in its most consistent form of Buddha, who said to his disciples: Be ye lamps unto yourselves, Betake yourself to no external refuge. In primitive Buddhism there was no prayer to God, no reliance upon any deity, no rites, ceremonies or sacrament. Each disciple was to learn the principles of life and live by them. The most anyone could do for another was to teach him the way. Each must follow it by himself. Among Christian religions there are few, if any, which teach that men can attain their goals by individual faith and works alone. Some congregations of Unitarians likely entertain this view. They feel that they are left to their own resources to realize whatever goals they espouse. Humanists, people who place human values above all others and who recognize nothing as being greater than man, rely entirely upon themselves to achieve their goals. There is no place for God, the grace of Christ, or sacraments in humanism. THE LATTER-DAY SAINT WAY OF SALVATION In the way of salvation as understood by the Latter-day Saints, all three ways described above -- grace, sacraments, and individual merit -- play significant and indispensable roles. In fact, salvation is a wonderful blending of these three, each being interdependent in the life of man on the other two. Let us indicate briefly the place of each in our salvation. I. We believe in the grace of Deity To us God is a Father, full of grace and truth, a Being of love, mercy, and forgiveness. He has done for us, with and through his Son, far more than we have merited. In the first place, he created us his spirit-children. With his Son, he prepared the earth and gave us life upon it. Through the ages, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have made available to men the influence of their Spirit and revelations of truth. Christ brings to each -- be he saint or sinner, believer or unbeliever -- resurrection from the dead and opportunity for immortal life. Redemption from sin is also offered to men by the Savior. According to Latter-day Saint doctrine, men could not think of achieving at- one-ment with God or of realizing their own full powers without the grace of Deity. Life itself, in many of its aspects, is a gift of Deity. Christ is our Creator, Guide, Ideal, and Redeemer from death and sin. II. We believe in the Sacraments of the Church To achieve salvation, we, too, believe in the efficacy of the sacraments or, as we call them, the ordinances of the Church. We believe that Christ established a Church, as a means by which men could find fellowship in their efforts to do God's will and to build his kingdom. He vested divine authority (the priesthood of God) in the Church. Through its power and authority, exercised in humility and love, God promises his children gifts and knowledge of the Gospel when they are prepared to receive them. Some of these gifts come to man through the ordinances of the Gospel, as we shall illustrate in ensuing chapters. The Church, in Latter-day Saint doctrine and practice, is a sacred institution founded by the Lord to bring about the salvation of men. It is not an end in itself, but is established to be a blessing to mankind through its numerous functions.85 85These we shall discuss at greater length in later chapters. III. We believe in individual merit as a means of gaining salvation Latter-day Saints place great emphasis on the responsibility of the individual in the attainment of his own salvation. We have always had a strong affinity for the little book of James, and for such teachings contained therein as the following: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, "And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." (James 2:14- 18) Believing that man is an eternal intelligence with capacity for freedom, we believe that he can take initiative and that he should work and strive for the right, through his own resources, as well as with the help of God. This attitude in our faith is forcefully stated in a revelation to Joseph Smith: "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; "For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." (D&C 58:26- 28) To us the peculiar strength of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, lies in the interdependence of Deity and man. We reject predestination completely. Man is not saved by grace alone. Neither can he save himself without the grace of Deity. And the ordinances and authority of the Church are meaningless to him, "putting trust in dead works," unless he participates in them with faith and sincere moral effort. Salvation from the grave, the resurrection, comes to us through the grace of Christ. It comes to all men irrespective of merit. Here we see grace operative quite independent of human effort. Man, as far as we know, is wholly dependent on God for his resurrection, as he was for his creation. Yet, when it comes, to the problem of overcoming ignorance and sin and thereby developing an intelligent, moral and spiritual life, grace alone will not suffice. Neither will the sacraments or ordinances of the Church. Knowledge cannot be given man without his thinking. Virtue cannot be placed upon him like a cloak. It must grow from within. It is the product of good desire and of right action. Man, as well as the Spirit of God, must create virtue in man. This is our earnest belief. It robs God of nothing precious. He and the Son are eagerly striving to lead, teach, persuade, and inspire man to help him gain eternal life. But we, too, must play our part, assume our responsibility. It is a law of life, which we see operative everywhere, in nature, in education, in human relations, even as in religion. This interdependence of Deity and man in salvation is expressed in our Third Article of Faith. "We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." (Articles of Faith 1:3) It is beautifully illustrated also in an editorial written recently by David O. McKay, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. THE GOSPEL OF WORK “One day, a group of small boys were swimming. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say, they were learning to swim; for none could take more than a few strokes. Just below them a short distance down the stream was a treacherous hole much beyond their depth. Into this, either through bravado or accident, one daring youngster either plunged or fell. He became helpless to save himself; and for a moment his companions were powerless to aid him. Fortunately, one with presence of mind and quick action, jerked a long stick from a willow fence and held one end of it toward the drowning lad. The latter grasped it, held on tightly, and was saved. “All the boys declared that the venturesome lad owed his life to the boy who furnished the means of rescue. "This is undoubtedly the fact; and yet in spite of the means furnished him, if the lad had not taken advantage of it, if he had not put forth all the personal effort at his command, he would have drowned, notwithstanding the heroic act of his comrade. "In this old world of ours, children of men are playing, swimming, struggling in the sea of life. There are those who claim that no one will sink and be lost if he will look to Jesus on the shore and say, 'I believe.' There are others who declare that every one must by his own efforts swim to the shore or be lost forever. The real truth is that both of these extreme views are incorrect. Christ redeemed all men from death which was brought upon them through no act of theirs, but He will not save men from their personal transgressions who will put forth no effort themselves, any more than the young rescuer on the river bank could have saved the drowning lad if the latter had not seized the means provided him. Neither can man save himself without accepting the means provided by Christ for man's salvation. "There was a time in the early history of the human race when men foundered in total ignorance of God's plan of redemption, a time when he was 'cut off both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord.' "Being subject to follow after his own will, he 'became carnal, sensual, and devilish by nature.' Nature was his god, and self-preservation -- that is, the prolongation of his earthly existence, the sole object of his life. When that ended, since his soul could never die, he would have been lost eternally, for he would have obeyed no spiritual laws, not having known them, whereby his spirit could have regained the presence of God. "To man, thus struggling, Christ gave the Gospel, the means of salvation. It was a free gift. It was by the grace of God, 'not of works lest any man should boast.' Without this, man was powerless to save himself. He was as helpless as the boy in the deep whirlpool. Truly, 'By grace are ye saved.' "But having been given the Gospel, what is man expected to do? With the means of salvation within his reach, what must he do? He must grasp and hold to it with his whole might and strength. It is his duty not only to look at the Savior on the bank and say I believe He will save me, but also to make that belief a knowledge by obeying every principle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In other words, he must work out his own salvation. "'Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)' "It is the height of folly for men to try to persuade themselves that Christ has done everything for them, that He has thrown a rope around them, as it were, and will pull them to safety in spite of themselves. "Such a false, superficial view of the Gospel is denounced also by the Apostle James: 'What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? "'Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works ... "'But wilt though know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14, 18, 20)' "Thus James emphasizes the fact that 'the indication of faith is the act that it inspires, and consequently that a faith which does not result in acts is of words merely, with which one cannot feed the hungry, or justify belief, or obtain salvation. A faith without acts is not faith. It is only a disposition to believe in something in which one does not really believe.' "Love of God and His righteousness is shown not in words but in works. "Eternal life is God's greatest gift to man, and the Lord in turn is glorified in man's immortality. Eternal life is the result of knowledge and knowledge is obtained by doing the will of God. Said the Savior to the skeptics who questioned Him as to how they might know that He is the Christ: "'If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)' "Thus the truth is proclaimed that a testimony of Christ's divinity and eternal life itself are the result of man's doing the will of God. "The fallacy that Jesus has done all for us, and live as we may, if on our deathbed, we only believe, we shall be saved in His glorious presence, is most pernicious. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, has given us the means whereby any man may obtain eternal happiness and peace in the Kingdom of our Father, but man must work out his own salvation through obedience to the eternal principles and ordinances of the Gospel. "For centuries men have been blinded by false teaching of 'belief alone is sufficient;' and today there is manifest on every hand the sorry plight into which this and other perverse doctrines have thrown the pseudo-Christian sects. The world is in sore need at the present time of the Gospel of individual effort -- the Gospel of faith and works. He who will not grasp this means provided him, will sink beneath the waves of sin and falsehood." (The Instructor, January 1955) CHAPTER 21 OUR ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST We have recognized in recent chapters that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, sent to earth to redeem man from death, ignorance, and sin. In the last chapter we noted that to achieve this goal we ourselves must do our part. The bounteous grace of God, some of which comes to us through the ordinances of the Church, must be coupled with faith and works before it becomes truly operative in our lives. In the next few chapters we shall study the things we can do to make our faith in Jesus Christ a living faith, one that will truly bring us salvation and eternal life. THE CHRISTIAN PLATFORM The Book of Acts tells the dramatic story of the growth of the Pristine Church of Jesus Christ. The account begins with the ascension of Christ and his promise that he would send the Holy Ghost. In Chapter Two we read of how this promise was fulfilled. The Holy Ghost came "as of a rushing mighty wind." The apostles began to preach with great power to Jews of all nations who understood them, each as though they were speaking in his own tongue. It is interesting to observe the content of their preaching and its effect on the people. Peter boldly proclaimed the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: "Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:22- 24, 36) Peter's testimony was convincing. His hearers were "pricked in their heart" and asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" They had sufficient faith to take action, to do something about their relationship to the risen Christ. Peter gave them an answer, in which he laid down the steps one should take to accept the Christ. The steps are briefly and simply stated, but they are fraught with rich meaning and significance. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:38-39) According to Peter, there are four steps to take to become a disciple of Christ: 1. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Repentance 3. Baptism 4. The reception of the Holy Ghost These are the foundation principles and initiatory ordinances of the Christian faith. As we read about the rise of the Christian Church, as told in the Book of Acts, we find that Peter's fundamentals of the Christian faith are the doorway by which men come into the Church. The four principles and ordinances are not always specifically mentioned. Luke, the author of Acts, is telling a swift-moving story, not laying down a theological treatise. However, no fair-minded reader of Acts or of the entire New Testament can fail to see that the first principle of its religion is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This naturally calls for repentance, which is taught or implied on practically every page. Baptism follows as a witness of repentance, and then comes the Holy Ghost. Let us illustrate this basic pattern of the New Testament story. THE EUNUCH OF ETHIOPIA In the eighth chapter of Acts an interesting story is told about Philip's meeting with a certain eunuch of Ethiopia. Philip had been called and ordained to assist the Twelve Apostles in the work of the Church. One day, while on a journey from Jerusalem to Gaza, he was moved upon by the Spirit to speak to this man of Ethiopia who came by in a chariot, reading from Isaiah 53. Philip asked the stranger if he understood what he was reading. He admitted that he did not. Philip then interpreted the passage as being a prophetic reference to the mission of Christ. He must have told the Ethiopian many things during their leisurely journey because "... they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:36-39) All the details of this incident are not given, but some things are very much in evidence. This man of Ethiopia had faith in Jesus Christ. Philip would have been untrue to the pattern set by John the Baptist, Jesus, and Peter had he not asked the eunuch to repent. The eunuch asked for baptism. His request was granted as both he and Philip went into the water. Nothing is said here about the giving of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. The reason for this may have been that it was not Philip's calling and prerogative to bestow the Holy Ghost upon converts. Earlier in this same chapter of Acts, we read of how Philip preached of Christ with power and effectiveness in Samaria, baptizing a certain Simon and others. These converts did not receive the Holy Ghost until Peter and John came. "Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) "Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts 8:15-17) SAUL OF TARSUS Saul of Tarsus, a learned and prominent Pharisee, who stood by at the martyrdom of Stephen, consenting to his death, was deeply involved in the persecution of Christians. One day, as he journeyed toward Damascus from Jerusalem to extend this persecution even beyond Palestine, he received a heavenly vision. "And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: "And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. "And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:3-6) It is interesting that Saul, although he had heard the voice of the risen Lord and was to become the greatest missionary of the early Church, was not prepared for his ministry until he also took the first steps in the Christian faith. One Ananias, already a disciple of Christ, also received a vision in which he was told, much to his astonishment, to lay hands on this persecutor of Christians to restore his sight and to give him the Holy Ghost. Ananias also baptized him. If a man who has had a direct call from the Lord needs to submit himself to these first principles and ordinances of the Gospel, what does this imply for the rest of us who would be followers of the Master? Does it not suggest their universal application? Does it not also imply that there must be real purpose and meaning in them? We believe it does and will try to explain the meaning they have to Latter-day Saints in the chapters which follow. CORNELIUS THE CENTURION Another unusual story in the Book of Acts illustrates the importance of these first principles and ordinances of the Gospel taught by Peter on the day of Pentecost. A centurion, captain over one hundred Roman soldiers, was "A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. "He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. "And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." (Acts 10:2-4) Romans were, as a rule, not devout men like the Jews, but here was one who excelled both in reverence and charity, and who received a heavenly vision. His unusual piety and goodness were not enough to make him an acceptable follower of Christ. He was instructed to send messengers to Peter in Joppa and "he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do." (Acts 10:6) Since Cornelius was a Gentile, the Lord had to prepare Peter to receive him. In a remarkable vision, Peter learned graphically that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was for the Gentile as well as for the Jew. The messengers found Peter and returned with him to Cornelius at Caesarea. Cornelius related his experience to Peter and he, in turn, preached Christ to Cornelius: "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. "And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. "For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." (Acts 10:44-48) LATTER-DAY SAINT TEACHING The Fourth Article of Faith of the Latter-day Saints is in full agreement with Peter's great sermon on the day of Pentecost. It reads: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Articles of Faith 1:4) We feel that these principles and ordinances are both the gateway to Christian discipleship and the foundation of Christian living for members of the Church. In preceding chapters we have expressed our assurance that faith in Christ means that we can overcome death, ignorance, and sin, and rise to immortality and eternal life. Faith in Christ also means to Latter-day Saints the happiest and fullest possible life here on earth. Faith is dynamic and always leads to action. The main action in this instance is repentance, followed by baptism and the receiving of the Holy Ghost. These topics we shall consider carefully and in detail in ensuing chapters. CHAPTER 22 SIN Faith in Jesus Christ arouses in man a desire to repent of those things in his life which are out of harmony with his faith in Christ. Repentance is, therefore, a natural sequel to faith. It is the second step in Christian discipleship. The word repentance in the original Greek means "to have another mind," or "a change of mind." If one is "to have another mind," there must be something wrong with his present state of mind. Repentance presupposes that there is evil in us, something that needs to be removed. Jesus put it this way: "They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." And Isaiah prefaced his plea to Israel to repent in these forceful words: "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. "Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. "From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment." (Isaiah 1:4-6) We shall devote this chapter to an understanding of this oft-used word, sin. WHAT IS SIN? The word sin is not always used with the same meaning. In its broadest sense it has been defined as "any want of conformity to or transgression of the law of God." In this broad, all-inclusive sense of the word, sin is transgression of the law of God. This may be done by commission or by omission, by action or by failure to act. While this is the meaning often encountered, even in scripture, the definition is likely too broad to be helpful in understanding our behavior. We prefer to give to sin a more limited and specific meaning as it is experienced in the life of the sinner. James' simple definition is good. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17) Acts such as killing, committing adultery, stealing, coveting, and bearing false witness are transgressions of the laws of God. In this sense, they are sins. But there is all the difference in the world between a cannibal's killing a man and a professed Christian's killing a man, with intent to kill. Likewise, there is a great difference between the stealing of money by an eighteen-year-old boy from his father's pocket and the taking of the same money by a two-year-old boy. The act in each instance is the same, killing or stealing. The moral experience and responsibility in each is utterly different. Sin, therefore, in a more restricted and useful meaning of the world, means to transgress the laws of God knowingly, willfully, or consciously. Sin is moral wrongdoing. It presupposes knowledge and responsibility. A little child, an idiot, or someone mentally irresponsible will not be held accountable for sinful acts. They may commit what are known to us as sinful acts; they may transgress the laws of God, but they themselves are not sinners. The late James E. Talmage, a well-known doctrinal writer of the Church and member of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, indicates the importance of distinguishing between acting in ignorance and with knowledge: "According to the technical definition of sin it consists in the violation of law, and in this strict sense sin may be committed inadvertently or in ignorance. It is plain, however, from the scriptural doctrine of human responsibility and the unerring justice of God, that in his transgressions as in his righteous deeds man will be judged according to his ability to comprehend and obey law. To him who has never been made acquainted with a higher law the requirements of that law do not apply in their fulness. For sins committed without knowledge -- that is, for laws violated in ignorance - - a propitiation has been provided in the atonement wrought through the sacrifice of the Savior; and sinners of this class do not stand condemned, but shall be given opportunity yet to learn and to accept or reject the principles of the Gospel. (Talmage, James E., Articles of Faith, p. 58) A goodly number of passages in scripture also indicate clearly this difference between transgressing a law in ignorance and with knowledge. "Nevertheless, there are those among you who have sinned exceedingly; yea, even all of you have sinned; but verily I say unto you, beware from henceforth, and refrain from sin, lest sore judgments fall upon your heads. "For of him unto whom much is given much is required; and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation." (D&C 82:2-3) "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. ... "If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father." (John 15:22, 24) "Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth." (John 9:41) "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30) "Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him. "For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon all those who have not the law given to them, that they are delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy One of Israel. "But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his state!" (2 Nephi 9:25-27) MAN IS MORAL We have a horse in our corral. She has been told to stay there, but she loves to break out and romp up and down the yard. She comes back to the corral fence with head high and with no observable sense of guilt or shame whatever. She simply acts and never seems to reflect on her action. Man, in contrast to the horse, is a moral agent. He not only acts, but is compelled by his own nature to evaluate his action in terms of right and wrong. He asks himself, "Ought I to have done this?" He has "partaken of the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Furthermore he must act and justify his actions to himself. What husband and father can break forth from his home and go carefree into the world -- like a horse -- returning if and when he chooses without sensing the moral implications of his behavior? Every man, unless seriously handicapped in his mentality, is forced to square his behavior with himself. He must act in harmony with his convictions. When he knowingly acts contrary to his sense of right, he feels guilty and ashamed; he is a sinner in his own eyes. When he knowingly transgresses the laws of society, he sins against society. When he knowingly transgresses the laws of God, he sins against God. A man is not a sinner because someone declares him to be. He is a sinner because he participates in wrongdoing knowingly. This offends his own nature. God knows he is a sinner. Christ knows he is sick. And so does the man himself. There is a marked difference between the effect of ignorant and sinful behavior in a man's life. They have consequences in common, but sinful action is far more destructive to character and personality. Let us consider the consequences of ignorant and willful transgression of the laws of God, each in turn. THE CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORANCE When a person transgresses a law of God or of life, in ignorance or innocence, he suffers the natural consequences of violating that particular law. To illustrate, a fifteen-month-old baby climbed up on a chair, got into the medicine cabinet one day and drank a bottle of his mother's hand lotion. It contained fifty percent alcohol, fortunately of the non-poisonous variety. The little tot was perfectly innocent and experienced no sense of guilt whatever, but he did suffer certain consequences incident to the act. He got drunk, staggered across the room, holding he head in both hands, crying for water, and fell asleep for about eighteen hours. Suppose the lad's father, who had been an abstainer all his life, always having believed and taught his children that alcohol was not good for man, should, in a moment of failure, take recourse to a considerable quantity of strong drink and become drunk. What would happen to him? His knowledge would not spare him the natural consequences of his act any more than the innocence of the child spared it. He, too, would stagger, would suffer thirst, become sleepy, have a headache, and perhaps suffer nausea. The natural consequences of violating laws of health, of nature, of God, strike the innocent and the informed very much alike. In addition to the natural consequences known to his child, the father would also experience the consequences of moral wrongdoing, or sin. He would not have to wait until judgment day to receive them from God, for they are as natural as the other consequences. People foolishly think that the only punishment which exists for sin or moral wrongdoing is to be from God in the world to come. This is not true. Moral wrongdoing brings with it its own inherent punishment regardless of what God may do in time to come. This was made clear by Jeremiah: "Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." (Jeremiah 6:19) "Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?" (Jeremiah 7:19) THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN 1. The sinner suffers what a great Hebrew scholar calls "an infringement of his psychic totality" or unity.86 One cannot sin with his whole mind and heart. Moral wrongdoing creates inner conflict, divides the self, and tends to disintegrate or break down personally. 86Pederson, Johan, Israel, Its Life and Culture, Oxford University Press, pp. 411-452, gives a profound discussion on the meaning of sin. "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. "There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Isaiah 57:20-21) A man's life was made to be one -- a single dwelling, not a duplex. We experience life at its best when we feel whole. Unity of action, consistency between thought and deed, give us a wholesome awareness of self. Inner conflict disrupts that unity, and we are like "the troubled sea, when it cannot rest." In this condition we are not free to act with all our heart, mind, and strength. 2. The sinner suffers loss of self-respect. To believe one thing and do another is self-acknowledgment of weakness, incompetency, and dissatisfaction. When this occurs, a man hates himself and wastes his life in self-depreciation and self-justification. Sin diminishes self-esteem; therefore, we hate ourselves for sinning even as we are prone to hate other persons who tear down our feelings of self-esteem. On the contrary, if we do what we believe to be right, we have a wonderful feeling of personal worth. Life is whole and strong. This integrity sustains us through much disappointment and tragedy, even when other people fail to show respect for us. This is well stated by Confucius and beautifully illustrated in the whole story of Job. "If a man looks within himself and is sure he has done right, what does he have to fear or worry about." (Confucius) "All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; "My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. "God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. "My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live." (Job 27:3-6) 3. The sinner suffers loss of moral strength, particularly if his wrongdoing becomes habitual, for we are creatures of habit. "Sin in the beginning is like a thread of a spider's web, but it ends by becoming as stout as a cart rope or a ship's cable. "Spring to fulfill the smallest duty, and flea from sin; for a duty draws another in its train, and sin draws after it another sin." (Simeon Ben Azzai) "Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace." (Alexander Pope, Essay on Man) There is no strength in wrongdoing. We tend to become a part of it and to succumb to its limitations. 4. The sinner brings injury and suffering to others. This is true of the innocent violator of law also. The child who drank his mother's lotion gave her a fright, and she was not at ease until the crisis was past; but the wound healed quickly and the memory of it provokes, in this instance, good humor and no regret. When we knowingly do wrong and persist in it, we give those who care for us continued distress. Their suffering is born of love. It involves the entire personality and human relationships as well, and it endures. No man can consciously injure another human being with impunity to himself or God. 5. The sinner estranges himself from that against which he sins. If he knowingly acts contrary to a principle he believes to be right, he begins to question the principle. He begins to qualify it or to disbelieve in its efficacy. The principle is no longer a sure guide for conduct, but an enemy to be destroyed in order to preserve a sense of self-respect, at any price. A man who embezzles money, while still believing he should be honest, begins to distort the principle of honesty in his own thinking. He is "borrowing" money or "taking from the rich" to equalize wealth with the poor. Likewise when a man is untrue to his marriage vows and responsibilities, he estranges himself from his wife. She may not know of his disloyalty, but he does, and in his heart he draws away from her. One cannot do wrong to another without injury to the bond between himself and that person. When we knowingly transgress the laws of God, we also estrange ourselves from him. We lose faith in prayer. Though a loving Father would draw us to him, to us he seems leagues away. To be one with God, we must find a way to overcome sin. SUMMARY Faith in Jesus Christ makes us aware of our sins and creates in us a desire to overcome them. Sin is a willful transgression of the laws of God and of our own deep sense of what is right. When we sin, we not only suffer the so-called natural consequences which follow from being out of harmony with the law which we transgress, but we suffer also the moral and spiritual consequences which accompany the act. We have a guilty conscience. Inner peace is destroyed. Our minds and hearts rebuke us. We know no peace. We lose self-respect and feel ourselves estranged from ourselves, our fellow men, God, and even from the principle which we violate in our particular act of wrongdoing. Life itself demands that we be unified, that mind and deed, reason and action be working in unison as a team. Also, to feel ourselves acceptable to God and to realize atonement with him, we need to find a way to overcome sin. In the Gospel of Jesus Christ there is a way, to the consideration of which we shall turn in our next lesson. CHAPTER 23 OVERCOMING SIN THROUGH REPENTANCE MAN'S MORAL NATURE Man is moral by nature and by nurture. He has the capacity to make choices, to choose between things good and things evil. He must come to terms with himself, justifying his every act. At times, man's moral nature brings him feelings of joy and strength. He feels free and creative in giving direction to his own life. He feels whole and strong when mind and heart are harnessed in pursuit of self-chosen goals. Man's moral agency can be a source of deep satisfaction. Man's moral nature is not only a source of strength, but also makes him aware of his weakness and failure. Try as he will, it seems to be the fate of man to fall short of his ideal. He finds himself, in moments of weakness, acting upon impulses and out of motives not in harmony with his higher desires. Shakespeare describes this human trait: "If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches and poor men's cottages princes' palaces. It is a good divine that follows his own instructions: I can easier teach twenty what were good to be done, than be one of the twenty to follow mine own teaching. The brain may devise laws for the blood, but a hot temper leaps o'er a cold decree:" (Portia to Nerissa in Merchant of Venice, Act 1, Scene II) The Apostle Paul likewise recognized this tendency in man to believe in the ideal and then act contrary to it. This he called sin, as we did in the last chapter. "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I." (Romans 7:14-15) "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. "Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. "I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: "But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:18-24) We all fail to measure up to our ideals in one particular or another. We are all sinners, though in various ways. The only person who will not acknowledge this is probably the self-righteous person who, in fact, is the greatest sinner of all because his self-righteousness blinds him to all his other sins. Man not only suffers a sense of failure in particular things, but his life as a whole never quite measures up to that which he wants it to be and which he believes it should be. For the reflective person, his life is never fulfilled; it never attains the ideal to which he aspires. The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers to man the means whereby he can overcome his individual sins and also his sense of failure and inadequacy about his life as a whole. The first step in the plan is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which culminates in true repentance. We shall first discuss the meaning of repentance and then indicate how faith in Christ can give us the power to repent. TWO PATHS OPEN It is a law of life that man be whole, that conviction and action, the ideal and the real, be one. Man is ever striving to bridge the gap between his ideal of what he should be and the reality of what he is. There are two ways to do this that are well known to students of human nature. They may be illustrated in a diagram. A man's idea of the right His actual behavior The upper line represents a man's idea of the right, his standard of behavior. It is made with an upward reach to indicate a growing conception of the right. The lower line, man's actual behavior, is likely to be irregular in its deviations from the right. There will always be some gap between the ideal and the real, but when the gap becomes too great the mind is compelled to act to close it. One method of accomplishing oneness is called rationalization, self- justification, or self-deceit. It is a process by which man, in search of unity and comfort, lowers his ideals to coincide with his actual behavior. It is embarrassing and humiliating to confess one's sins even to oneself. It is much easier to pull a blind over the mind. Some of us, although slow and sluggish and unimaginative in many ways, become highly ingenious and imaginative in our own self-deception. "One can avoid some of the consequences of sin through self-deceit. But at what price? At the cost of lowering one's behavior to a point that it is out of harmony with the constructive principles of one's life. If one is to change his standard of conduct, let it be because that standard is no longer valid, or because he has found something better or higher, and not merely because he wishes to be comfortable in wrongdoing. The truth seems to be that no one is completely successful in his self-deception. In more reflective and objective moments the wrongdoer becomes aware of his own effort at rationalization. He remembers also his conception of the right and secretly wishes he were capable of living in harmony with it. (Lowell L. Bennion, Religion of the Latter-day Saints, p. 102) Repentance is the achievement of unity in life by lifting one's behavior to the level of one's ideal. It is a constructive principle by which man overcomes a sense of failure and inner frustration and works toward self- fulfillment. Repentance has been the watchward of the prophets throughout history. "... The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15) "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." (Matthew 3:8-9) "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19)87 87Read Isaiah 1, Amos 5, or Jeremiah 6, Alma 5, Acts 2. THE MEANING OF REPENTANCE Repentance has several related meanings in scripture. Most often it means to have "a change of mind," or "to have another mind." It calls for a new outlook on life, a "turning back" on old ways, freeing oneself of desires no longer deemed worthy to entertain. Repentance means action. Error, wrongdoing, and shallow living give place to truth, right-doing, and wholesome living. The old gives way to the new. Life is lived on a higher plane. Belief and action become identical. The exact steps in repentance may vary somewhat from person to person and from time to time, but they usually include the following: 1. A recognition or recollection of the right and the wrong. The evil we do is usually brought forcibly to our attention when we gain a vision of the good, of something better. Shadows are recognized more clearly in the full light of day. Sometimes our shallow living reveals its own emptiness to us; more often than not it is made evident to us by some higher revelation of life. Repentance begins when we acknowledge the wrong we have done. 2. Feelings of regret and genuine sorrow for the wrong done, the life lived. This does not mean that to repent we must sink into the depths of despair and pine away our lives in remorse. It does mean that we have "a broken heart and a contrite spirit," that we feel our spiritual need and have a sense of obligation toward those whom we have wronged, both God and man. David's plea to the Lord following a realization of his gross sinfulness expresses this feeling of regret and of a broken heart but in a constructive way. "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. "Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." (Psalms 51:10-12) 3. Regret is followed by a firm resolution to forsake sin. Action begins in desire and is fortified in thought. A firm resolve is an essential step in repentance. Ezekiel makes a plea for such a change of heart: "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. "Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye." (Ezekiel 18:30-32) 4. Whenever possible, amends are made for the wrong done. Repentance is not complete if we have not tried to make good the wrong done. Stolen goods are returned; lies are acknowledged to those concerned; confession is made to those whom we have wronged and who will be helped by it. 5. Finally, the wrongdoing is done no more but is replaced with rightdoing, bad habits with good habits, good habits with better habits, culminating in a whole-souled devotion to one's new conception of the right. Repentance takes time. To Latter-day Saints there is no such thing as death-bed repentance. There can be death-bed confession, but this is only one step in repentance and leaves the principle incomplete and unfulfilled. NO OTHER WAY Repentance is not an arbitrary commandment of God. It is a law of life which has been revealed to us for our own good, the means by which we may improve and gain increased integrity and freedom. In our belief there is no other way to free oneself from sin and its consequences, from evil, failure, and frustration, except through repentance. It is the second step in Christ's plan of salvation. Without repentance we cannot see the Kingdom of God. Scriptures are emphatic on this point. "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17:30) "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:5)88 "But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against God! For salvation cometh to none such except it be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ." (Mosiah 3:12) 88See Luke 13:1-5. THE STRENGTH TO REPENT Repentance is not easy. Often in life we take the first few steps; we recognize our wrongdoing, feel remorse, resolve to do right and then fail to do the right. Our need is to find genuine motivation which will give us the power to repent wholly of single evils and which will help us to increase in the fine quality of our total living. Where is such strength to be found? The strength to repent does not come from the evil done. There is no positive strength in evil. To preoccupy oneself with wrongdoing is to succumb to it more often than not. A person whose sin is covetousness does not surmount it while preoccupied with desire for other men's goods. Repentance is more than a rational consideration. It is good to look at our mistakes and shortcomings with the cold, appraising eye of reason. Often help comes from a knowledge of habit-formation, from a vision of the consequences of behavior, and from other reasonable means of understanding ourselves. But reason alone is an inadequate weapon against the strength of such powerful forces as habit and desire. Reason is a necessary and essential guide in life, but by itself it is not the best source of motivation to act. Jesus Christ came to earth to bring about "means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance," and "only unto him that hath faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption." (Alma 34:15, 16) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ can bring us both the desire and the power to overcome our sins and our sense of failure. He can inspire us to overcome that which is evil and shallow and mean in life. 1. Christ gives us a vision of what life can be. In him is revealed the character of God, both in his teaching and in his living. In the light of his life, we can measure our own. We become aware of our sins. If we have faith in him we shall be humble and contrite, and shall be moved to change our lives and make them more like his. 2. Christ taught us how to live. As we learn and practice the positive ideals he taught, such as sincerity, humility, respect to each human being, and a love of fellow men, we gain a feeling of satisfaction and strength which enables us to forsake wrongdoing. Paul said, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21) To fill our lives with the good things Jesus taught is to crowd evil out, to leave it no room. Right is a shield against evil, as Paul well knew: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (Ephesians 6:10-11) The same idea is taught by Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet: "Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil, with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. "Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls." (Alma 37:33-34) A man went to his bishop one day and confessed that in childhood and youth he had learned to lie to achieve his ends. Now in his full adulthood he was continually plagued with the same desire and tendency. The bishop asked him what he had done to try to break the habit, and the man replied that he had fought it. The bishop knew a better way. They knelt together in prayer. The bishop assured the brother of his moral support and of the help he would receive from God and Christ if he would try to live s they wanted him to live. The bishop gave him a good book to read, a fine service to render in the Church, the responsibility of speaking in meeting. In short, the understanding bishop helped his brother to so fill his life with the things of God and Christ that the need to lie gradually went away. The man became a new person through a living faith in Christ. 3. The Spirit of Christ will be and abide with us. Whenever we practice Christian principles, and particularly with faith in the Savior, his Spirit comes into our lives. It is a Latter-day Saint teaching that the light of Christ is given to every person as he enters the world. As we are responsive to it, through faith and Christian living, the Spirit of Christ will play an ever larger role in our feeling and action, lifting us above our limitations. 4. Christ has promised us complete forgiveness on condition of repentance. As we read the life of Christ in the New Testament and in 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, we are impressed with the Savior's love for the sinner. In Luke, Chapter 15, are recorded three beautiful parables which bear witness to this love. If we only knew how much Christ loves us, even in our weakness and sin, and how much he suffers because of our wrongdoings, we would be moved to repent and thereby give joy to him. Christ's love for us is expressed in his willingness to forgive. Even on the cross, he said of those who had so unmercifully nailed him there, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." The meaning of forgiveness and the conditions under which we may receive it will be developed in a subsequent chapter. Let it be noted here that the assurance of complete forgiveness gives us faith to repent. That assurance has been proclaimed again and again. "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7) "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. "All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (Ezekiel 18:21-23) "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; "Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;" (D&Covenants 1:31-32) CHAPTER 24 THE MEANING OF BAPTISM After the Savior's resurrection and shortly before his ascension, he said to the eleven Apostles: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:15-16)89 89See also Matthew 28:16-20. His final commission to his beloved disciples, according to Mark and Matthew, was to baptize those who believed. The necessity of baptism is further illustrated in the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus: "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: "The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:1-5) The Savior's high regard for baptism is also confirmed by his insistence that he himself be baptized. At the very beginning of his ministry, Jesus sought out John the Baptist for this purpose. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. "But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." (Matthew 3:13-15) The commandments which come to us through Deity are not arbitrary. They have purpose and value in human life. They are given us to make us free and to help us understand and realize the purpose of life. We turn then to a search for the meaning of baptism. Why is it so important for everyone to be baptized? BAPTISM -- A COVENANT Latter-day Saints think of baptism as a covenant. A covenant is an agreement between two persons or two parties, in this instance between Deity and man, the believer. As in any agreement or contract, each party thereto promises to do certain things of value for the other. In return, each party will receive something of real value to him. And, as in any contract, unless both parties to it fulfill their commitments, the one who is ready to do so is not bound. Let us see just what promises are made in baptism by Deity and by the believer. I. Deity's Part in the Covenant When a person is baptized worthily and according to the will of God, he receives three wonderful gifts and blessings from the Father and Son: (1) remission of sins, (2) acceptance into the Church and Kingdom of God, and (3) the right to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Let us consider briefly each of these blessings. Baptism brings remission or forgiveness of sins to the true believer in Jesus Christ. This was the promise made by Peter on the day of Pentecost, when he told his believing listeners, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, ..." (Acts 2:38) This does not mean, of course, that the water washes away a man's sins. It does mean that baptism by water is a witness to the believer that God forgives him of his sins, of which he has truly repented. The sins, for which man has been forgiven, will never be mentioned to him again if he continues to live in righteousness. The baptized believer enters a new birth, a new life, one that is acceptable unto the Father and Son. He is born again of the water and spirit and is a "new creature in Christ Jesus." Baptism is the door to the kingdom of God, the way by which we enter therein. It is a divine witness that we are acceptable to the Lord, that we may enter into his kingdom. Baptism is an initiatory rite by which we become members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Thereby we are accepted by the community of believers, are taken in and nourished and sustained by those who are already members of the Church, that together we might all labor to be true brothers and sisters in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The gift of the Holy Ghost is given to the baptized believer to inspire and guide him in his discipleship of Christ. When John the Baptist was baptizing, he said, "I indeed baptize you with water: but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire." (Matthew 3:16) Jesus did come and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost on his disciples. This they felt with power on the day of Pentecost when Peter also promised it to all who would repent and be baptized.90 90Note Acts 2:38, 39. II. Man's Part in the Covenant Baptism is a covenant between Deity and man. Therefore, in order for man to receive from God the three gifts we have just indicated, man must do his part; he must bring gifts to God. To receive any meaning or value or grace from this sacred rite, he must first give. Baptism is man's witness to both Deity and men that he has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that he desires to take upon him his name, and that he earnestly seeks to become his true disciple. Baptism is, therefore, the fruit of a man's faith in Jesus Christ, the witness of his acceptance of him as his Ideal and Savior. Proof of his faith in Christ lies in action, in the quality of his daily life. Faith in Christ leads to repentance, to a forsaking of unchristian thought, feeling, and action. Repentance means to square his life with his faith in Christ. Baptism is for those who have faith in Christ, who can and do, repent, and who come forth with "a broken heart and a contrite spirit" eager to bear witness of the Lord and Savior in word and in deed. With John the Baptist, we believe in "the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark 1:4)91 91See also Matthew 3:1-11 and Luke 3:3-14. The Book of Mormon is particularly explicit and forceful in its stress upon man's part in the covenant of happiness. Its teachings on the subject are in perfect harmony with those of John the Baptist and Peter in the New Testament. Alma, a missionary who had converted some 204 people to Christ, told them the meaning of their baptism before he performed the rite in their behalf. Note how, in the thought of Alma, baptism is a witness of a whole life dedicated to Jesus Christ. "... and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; "Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life -- "Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?" (Mosiah 18:8-10) When the converts heard these words "... they clapped their hands for joy and exclaimed, this is the desire of our hearts." (Mosiah 18:11)92 Alma then taught them how to live as a band of Christians ought to do, "... imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants." (Mosiah 18:29) 92Read the entire chapter, and also Moroni 6. In the Doctrine and Covenants baptism is recommended, not as a means of making one into a Christian, but as a final witness of a person's already having become a true disciple of Christ. "And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism -- All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church." (D&C 20:37) Without faith in Christ and repentance, there can be no remission of sins. Without remission of sins, man is not ready to enter into the Kingdom of God. And without a contrite heart, man cannot receive the guidance of the Holy Ghost. With faith and repentance, with mind, heart, and life in harmony with the Savior, a person is in a condition to enter his kingdom and to be encouraged further to realize his teachings in his life. Another Book of Mormon passage shows how each step builds upon preceding steps in the development of a genuine Christian life -- firm and substantial as a pyramid. The Christian Life The Holy Ghost Baptism Repentance Faith "And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins; "And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God." (Moroni 8:25-26) WHY CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED When John the Baptist at first hesitated to baptize Jesus of Nazareth, the Savior replied, "Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." Just what the Lord meant by this statement is not stated in the Gospels, but a passage in the Book of Mormon throws light on the subject: "And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water? "Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. "And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" (2 Nephi 31:6, 7, 10) Christ was baptized, not only to set an example for us, but also because he desired to be for his own sake. And just what need did he feel for baptism? Being holy, he did not need remission of sins as you and I do. It is doubtful, too, if he needed baptism to gain acceptance into his own kingdom, or to receive the Holy Ghost, since he himself was one of the Godhead. The Savior wished to be baptized to show both God and men that he, too "... humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." (2 Nephi 31:7) To fulfill all righteousness means to do the will of God, whose will is wholly righteous and surely includes all righteousness. Christ loved his father and dedicated his life to the Father's will. CONCLUSION In this chapter we have spoken of baptism as a witness of a covenant between Deity and man, in which each assumed obligations to the other person. Before concluding the discussion, it should be pointed out that by this analogy it is not intended that baptism should be thought of as a legal contract with each party thereto being deeply concerned with his own rights and privileges. Quite the opposite is true. God and Christ, out of the abundance of their love and their desire for man's happiness, might gladly forgive man his sins, accept him into their kingdom, and give him the Holy Ghost to guide him. But man cannot receive these divine gifts until his mind and heart are in a state of readiness. Without faith unto repentance, man cannot receive forgiveness of sins. Even if God would forgive, man, in a state of sin, could not feel free to accept forgiveness. A sinner cannot receive forgiveness until he has overcome sin in his life. And without having overcome sin, he would not feel at home in the kingdom of God, nor be receptive to the Holy Ghost. Baptism is more than an act of obedience and something far more than a search for blessings from the Lord on the part of man. Baptism is the free-souled, joyous witness of a man's desire to become a true disciple of Jesus Christ and a means of becoming one with those of like desire. Thus, on the part of Deity and man, baptism is a gift one to the other. It is a kind of meeting ground where the believer expresses his faith in Christ and his trust in God, and they in turn bear witness of their love for him. CHAPTER 25 QUESTIONS ON BAPTISM In our last chapter we discussed the purpose of baptism. With this discussion in mind as background, there are three questions which merit our further consideration: 1. Who needs baptism? 2. What is the proper form of baptism? 3. Who has the right to baptize? These we shall discuss in sequence. WHO NEEDS BAPTISM? In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we do not baptize infants nor do we approve of it by others. The reason for this is clear. Infants do not need baptism. They are not in a position to fulfill the purposes of baptism, to participate in this ordinance meaningfully. Baptism is for the remission of sins. An infant child is without sin. "Every spirit of man was innocent in the beginning; and God having redeemed man from the fall, men became again, in their infant state, innocent before God." (D&C 93:38) Latter-day Saints reject the dogma of original sin, the teaching that all mankind is born in sin because of the Fall of Adam. We believe that all men inherit from Adam mortality and the opportunity to do good or evil in this life, but not an inherently sinful nature. A little child is incapable of sin. Baptism is a witness of our faith in Christ unto repentance. An infant child does not have faith in Christ. He certainly cannot repent, even if he were a sinner. Therefore, infant-baptism is wholly lacking in the most significant purposes of this sacred ordinance. An ancient Book of Mormon writer is emphatic and severe in his condemnation of infant-baptism. Hear is words and consider his reasoning on the subject. "Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me. "And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. "Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye teach -- repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children, and they shall all be saved with their little children. "And their little children need no repentance, neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins. "But little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many little children have died without baptism! "Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell. "Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity; for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity; wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go down to hell. "For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism. "Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear. "And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation. "For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all eternity. "Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. "And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption. "Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an endless torment. I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment–seat of Christ. "For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all they that are without the law. For the power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing -- "But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead works. "Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law." (Moroni 8:8-24) Baptism is for those who can repent, and who are capable and desirous of being baptized as a witness of their faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we do not baptize infants or people who are handicapped mentally to such an extent that they do not participate meaningfully in their own baptism. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, the age of eight is given as the appropriate age for baptizing children who have been reared and taught the Gospel of Christ by parents in the Church. Parents are admonished in earnest words to teach their children and to prepare them for baptism. "And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents. "For this shall be a law unto the inhabitants of Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized. "And their children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old, and receive the laying on of the hands. "And they shall also teach their children to pray, and to walk uprightly before the Lord. "And the inhabitants of Zion shall also observe the Sabbath day to keep it holy." (D&C 68:25-29) The age of eight may seem a little young to some for baptism. Let it be remembered that this applies only to those who have been reared in the faith and also that it is voluntary on the part of the child. And there are good reasons, in our judgment, for this arrangement. A child of eight cannot grasp the full meaning of Christian discipleship. For that matter, who can, be he forty or sixty or seventy? But a child of eight can think for himself, make choices, and has considerable capacity to be a follower of Jesus. He has a child-like faith, a godly amount of teachability, is often quick to forgive, and has capacity to love the Savior. Certainly, he is in a position to enter into Christian discipleship and to learn more of Christian faith and virtue. A child of eight needs the feeling of belonging to the community, of being accepted into warm fellowship by friends and neighbors and by adults who love him. Fellowship and responsibility in the Church will sustain him through the interesting but trying years of adolescence as he grows into maturity and adulthood. THE CORRECT FORM OF BAPTISM We believe in baptism by immersion. It is the only form of baptism practiced by the Church. There are four reasons which sustain us in this practice. 1. Baptism by immersion was the only method used in New Testament times as far as scripture indicates. 2. The word baptize itself means, in the original Greek, to immerse. 3. Baptism by immersion is a more perfect symbol of the meaning of baptism than either pouring or sprinkling. 4. We have been instructed in our day, through revelation to baptize by immersion. Let us consider these reasons. I. The Ancient Form Nowhere in the New Testament scripture, to our knowledge, is there any explicit command that baptism should be by immersion and by immersion only. Still, whenever the manner of baptism is referred to, it is always by immersion. Therefore, it seems fair to conclude that immersion was the practice of the day, and, one might add, was taken for granted. Note the many illustrations: Jesus, himself, was baptized of John in the river Jordan: "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:" (Mark 1:9-10)93 93See also Matthew 3:13-17. John baptized many others in the Jordan: "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, "And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." (Matthew 3:5-6) John "also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim because there was much water there." (John 3:23) Philip baptized the Eunuch of Ethiopia by immersion. "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? "And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. "And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing." (Acts 8:36-39) II. The Word baptize means to immerse Scholars are quite agreed that the specific meaning of the word baptism in the New Testament is "to dip" and that immersion "seems to have been the practice of the Apostolic Age."94 In the New Testament, the initiatory rite into the Christian community was baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. If there were any other form of baptism, the record is certainly silent on the subeject. 94See Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible. "Baptism" and also Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, article on "Baptism." III. Immersion, a perfect symbol Jesus likened baptism to a birth in his conversation with Nicodemus, who had sought him out to be taught: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:3-5) Certainly birth is more closely related to immersion than either pouring or sprinkling, both literally and figuratively. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:" (Romans 6:3-5) "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2:12-13) Baptism is a witness to the Father and Son and to fellow-believers of one's faith in Christ and of the new Christian life which one is eager to live. This change of heart and mind is symbolized by burying the old self in water and coming forth into a newness of life. Baptism by immersion is a meaningful symbol of what is taking place in the mind and feeling of the true convert in the acceptance of his newly won faith. Baptism is a witness of God to man that man's sins are remitted and forgiven. Surely baptism by immersion is an appropriate symbol of a complete washing away of one's sins. It helps the convert feel that his sins are forgiven, that he is clean before the Lord. Water does not cleanse one from sin nor create a new heart in man. This is clear. Faith in Christ, and repentance, make a man a Christian. Nevertheless, the ordinance of baptism does help the individual to feel the reality of his conversion, just as a handshake symbolizes and strengthens a friendship, or a wedding ceremony makes more real the concept of marriage. THE AUTHORITY TO BAPTIZE In a forthcoming chapter we shall discuss at length the question of priesthood or divine authority. Suffice it to say here that, "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (Articles of Faith 1:5) Since baptism is a covenant between God and man and is a commandment and directive of God, it is reasonable to suppose that this ordinance should be carried out with divine authority. Christ "ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach." (Mark 3:14) And he said unto them "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost ..." (Matthew 28:19) The New Testament record reveals the fact that men who were called of God baptized converts. We believe that there is order in the work of God. Man does not take unto himself the right to officiate in the sacred ordinances of God, but he must prepare himself to receive that right from someone who has received it from Deity. BAPTISM IN THE LATTER-DAY SAINT CHURCH The concept of baptism which we have outlined in this and in the preceding chapter has come to use through revelation. The Book of Mormon, published in 1830, the very year in which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, teaches baptism by immersion.95 Other revelations received by the Prophet Joseph Smith clarify just how and why baptism should be performed. A few references thereto may add more light on the subject. 95Note Mosiah 18. Regarding who is ready for baptism, the answer is given in one single verse of rich meaning: "And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism -- All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church." (D&C 20:37) The manner of baptism, including the authority to baptize, is stated very simply: "The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. "Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water." (D&C 20:73-74) From the beginning of their history, Latter-day Saints have practiced but one kind of baptism -- baptism by immersion for the remission of sins for those who have faith in Christ, who repent of their sins, and who desire to come into the fold of Christ and do his will. The ordinance is simple and sacred and is performed by men who are called and ordained as servants of God. CHAPTER 26 THE REMISSION OF SINS On the day of Pentecost when Peter and the other apostles were preaching the Gospel with power from the Holy Ghost, thousands believed and asked Peter what they should do. He answered, "repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) We have discussed repentance and baptism in the last three chapters. Let us turn our attention to the assurance of remission of sins promised to those who do repent and are baptized. What is meant by remission of sins? Sin is any willful, conscious transgression of the laws of God. Sin is moral failure. When we fail to do that which we know we ought to do, or do that which we ought not to do, we are sinning. Some wrongdoings are far more serious than others, to be sure, but in all instances, the process remains the same -- we are knowingly acting contrary to God's will and to our own better judgment. JUSTICE We live in a world of law and order. This is immediately plain in our relationship to nature. The farmer who understands and obeys the principles pertaining to Good soil management, produces the best crops. A man who ignorantly or willfully ignores the laws of health will pay the price of ill- health sooner or later. There is a law of compensation operative in nature. As we sow, so do we reap. Law and order prevail in the moral and spiritual life of man just as they do in the world of nature. Here, too, we suffer from both our ignorant and willful neglect of the moral laws of life. The Apostle Paul expressed it this way, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." (Galatians 6:7-8) The Lord inspired Jeremiah with the same idea. "Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." (Jeremiah 6:19) "Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?" (Jeremiah 7:19) Sin has far reaching consequences. When we are selfish, for example, we do injury to ourselves and to others; we are out of harmony with God and with his laws. Our behavior sets in motion consequences which are beyond our power to recall, control, or to make good. Sometimes in our sin we do evil beyond our capacity to repair. If justice were the only principle of life, we would be forever in debt to those whom we wronged -- to God, fellow men, and even to ourselves. Fortunately, justice is not the only principle which governs the lives of men. If it were, some of us might be hopelessly obligated to others. But there are other principles of life, each with its contribution to make. Justice is one law, and very essential and beneficial too; but mercy is another, equally valid in its place, and more gentle. FORGIVENESS God is a Father. He loves his children. Even when we do wrong, He still loves us as any good earthly parent loves his child no matter what he has done. Our Father's work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."96 He is more interested in persons than he is in impersonal laws. Our sins are important to him because of what they do to ourselves and to others. We cannot do evil without hurting others and without bringing injury to our own character and personality. Therefore, God hates sin but still loves the sinner whom he is trying to help. This is indicated in a modern revelation: 96Moses 1:39. "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; "Nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven;" (D&C 1:31-32) God's love for the sinner was taught effectively by the Savior both in word and deed. Often he singled them out for special consideration. When Pharisees murmured against the Savior's disciples because they ate with publicans and sinners, Jesus said, "They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:30-32) Is it not remarkable that he who was without sin, should draw "near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him"? (Luke 15:1) How else could this have been accomplished save through understanding and love? When they came to him, he gave them hope and comfort. He taught three simple beautiful parables to help them feel and remember how God is reaching out searching for the sinner, and rejoicing when he is found and turns home toward his father's house. Whenever the Savior meets with sinners who are aware of their sins and are responsive to his loving appeal to them to "sin no more," there we find him talking of mercy and forgiveness.97 97Read Luke 15 and John 8:1-11. Remission of sins means forgiveness of sins. God will freely forgive or pardon the moral failures of those who truly repent. This follows naturally from his loving nature. He is not interested in our condemnation but in our joy and salvation. The prophets of old, as well as Jesus, make this abundantly clear. Isaiah, after giving his people a sound tongue lashing for their iniquities said, "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; "Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:16-18) "Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7) Ezekiel portrays the Father's real interest in man and his willingness to forgive and forget the sins of the truly repentant. "But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. "All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (Ezekiel 18:21-23) "MERCY CLAIMETH THE PENITENT" It is evident from the above scripture and numerous other passages that remission of sins comes only to those who are repentant. Until a sinner repents, he is subject to the law of justice. His wrongdoing condemns him. He is in no condition of mind or heart to receive forgiveness or pardon. His sense of guilt estranges him from his own best self, from other men against whom he has sinned, and from God, whom he knows to be a Person of righteousness and truth. In his sin, he is in no position to be reconciled to himself, to others, or to God. His very sins reproach him and keep him in bondage to their influence on himself and others. Mercy cannot enter his life to counter the laws of justice. As long as he remains unrepentant, he suffers all the consequences of his wrongdoing. This is a law of life -- the law of justice. We reap what we sow. But when a person humbles himself, sees the evil of his ways, and effects a genuine change of mind and heart; when his repentance is successful, other forces become operative in his spiritual life and in his relationship to others and to God. Justice is not obliterated, but a new power is felt which enables him to find his way out of the meshwork of sin in which he had previously been entangled. When man invented the airplane, he did not do away with the law of gravitation which pulls everything towards the earth, but he introduced other factors which enabled him to leave the earth and remain aloft in the air. Repentance does not do away with justice, but it does invoke mercy. And mercy as well as justice can do things for man, under certain conditions, as the Book of Mormon states so effectively. "But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; otherwise, justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God would cease to be God. "But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged according to their works, according to the law and justice. "For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved." (Alma 42:22-24) BAPTISM -- A WITNESS OF FORGIVENESS As we noted in previous chapters, baptism is a witness of a covenant between Deity and man. It is man's witness to God that he has faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the faith that has given him power to repent of his unchristian acts. In his baptism he promises "to be a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places," to take upon him the name of Christ, and always remember him, and keep his commandments, that he may have his Spirit to be with him.98 Baptism is alwo the witness on the part of Deity, that man's sins are remitted, pardoned, and forgiven. Before God he is again clean, born again, ready to begin a new spiritual life. His sins will not be mentioned unto him again as long as he refrains from sinning. 98See Mosiah 18:8-11; Moroni 4 and 5; Doctrine and Covenants 20:37. Baptism means forgiveness of past sins on condition of repentance. It also means forgiveness of sins in the future on condition of repentance. This point needs clarification. There is no perfection in human nature. And though a man has corrected mistakes of the past and is committed in faith to Christ, he is bound to err and fail in the future. Repentance, like learning, is a constant need of man. Therefore, baptism is both retroactive and also operative in relation to the future. It is the divine assurance that the earnest, repentant disciple of Christ will be forgiven the sins which he will no doubt commit in his progress towards perfection in Jesus Christ. The promise of forgiveness, both in relationship to the past and the future must not be taken as license to sin. Moral failure brings with it sorrow and suffering for ourselves and for others. And though, through repentance and baptism, we attain a remission of sins, we will have already suffered considerable loss and have done harm to others. Foolish is the man who toys with sin through confidence in forgiveness. Such an attitude ignores the law of justice in his own life and the principle of mercy towards others, and may make it much more difficult to gain mercy for himself. A man does not know his own strength. By dallying with temptation and sin, he may readily succumb to them and find repentance beyond his power. FORGIVENESS AND PUNISHMENT A question often asked is this: Though we be forgiven of our sins, will we not have to pay the full price of our sins -- either here or in the hereafter? It is true that no one can do wrong without suffering a loss. Forgiveness does not mean that no damage has been done. In our wrongdoing we suffer pain and forego all the rich experience and development which would have come, had we been spending our strength in worthwhile pursuits. Even the repentant sinner will have suffered losses through his wrongdoing. There is no question about that. His sinful deeds in the past, with their effect on himself and others, are not undone by repentance and forgiveness. But this does not mean that a person must pay the full price of justice for his sins. There is an element of grace in forgiveness. If a person had to pay the uttermost farthing for his wrongdoing, or, in other words, if justice alone prevailed, then forgiveness would have no meaning. Neither would love or mercy have place or meaning. Forgiveness implies that there is something to forgive, some unfulfilled obligation that is pardoned and erased. Let us illustrate. A father had a son to whom he lent $5,000 at a low rate of interest. The son signed a note -- a promise to pay. He began to repay that note faithfully, then misfortune overtook him. His wife's ill health and failure in a business venture ruined him financially. His intentions were good. He tried honestly to fulfill his obligation to his father. Time and again, the son sacrificed his own comfort to make a small payment to his father. one day the father said to his son, "My boy, despite your misfortune and the prolonged and expensive illness of your wife, you have made every effort to repay me the loan. I am going to forgive you the rest of the note. Here it is, torn to bits." The father was happy to forgive his son because the latter had done his part as well as he could. The father truly forgave because there was something to forgive. Most of the original loan had not been paid. It was to be canceled. Had the father said, "Son, I forgive you the loan, but you must still pay it back with interest," what meaning would forgiveness have? Forgiveness comes immediately with full repentance. There is no concept of Purgatory in our theology -- no place after death where men will be punished to satisfy divine justice for sins committed in the flesh, of which man has repented fully. The repentant sinner pays a price for his wrongdoing; he knows sorrow and remorse and the digression or delay his wrongdoing has brought into his life. He can know also, however, that God's interest is in helping him attain unto godlike living, not in punishing him for the sake of justice, revenge or glory. Therefore, to the repentant sinner the Lord will not add his own punishment to that which is the natural consequence of sin. Forgiveness is complete and final, if our repentance is also complete and permanent. God has no interest in punishment for punishment's sake. His greater interest is in the sinner, not the sin. As the late Matthew Cowley99 said, in our hearing, "A sinner is greater than all his sins." This is illustrated in Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son. When the Prodigal Son returned home, having "come unto himself," "when he was yet a great way off, his father had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." Then the father put a robe on him, put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet and killed the fatted calf and made merry. Why? Because his son who was dead "is alive again; and was lost and is found." The lad's repentance had begun, therefore, the father could rejoice. The boy's spiritual recovery was his father's whole concern. Such is God's love for the sinner, his willingness to forgive him fully and completely. Of course, the son must do his part. His repentance must also be complete or he cannot accept his father's forgiveness; his life cannot again become whole and increase in righteousness as God would have it increase. This is made amply clear in a passage in the Book of Mormon which states that Jesus Christ lived and died to bring about "... means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance. "And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption." (Alma 34:15-16) 99A beloved Apostle in the Latter-day Saint Church. CHAPTER 27 THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST THE BAPTISM OF FIRE John the Baptist said to his followers: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:" (Matthew 3:11)100 100Note also Mark 1:8 and Luke 3:16. Fire is a symbol of the light and the warmth that fills the heart and soul of man when he receives the witness of the Holy Ghost. The baptism of water unto repentance was to be followed by the reception of the Holy Ghost. This was clear to John the Baptist. It is likewise evident in the life and teaching of Jesus. Following his own baptism, the Holy Ghost descended upon him: "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased." (Luke 3:22)101 101Note also Mark 1:8 and Matthew 3:11. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5) Before the Savior ascended to heaven, following his resurrection, he told his disciples "... John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:5) And again he said, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." (Acts 1:8) The promise was shortly fulfilled. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4) With astonishing power, Peter, who a few weeks before had three times denied his acquaintance with the Savior, now spoke with certain conviction of his risen Lord. He and the Twelve enjoyed a more perfect assurance of Christ's divinity and mission than they had known while the Savior was among them. When others were chosen to help the Twelve administer to the needs of the growing membership fo the Church, they were to be "... seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom ..." (See Acts 6:1-3) Moreover, Peter, in his first recorded sermon, promised the gift of the Holy Ghost to all believers who would repent and be baptized, even "to all that are afar off." "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:37-39) As the Gospel spread throughout Palestine, the Holy Ghost was bestowed by the laying on of hands by the apostles upon those who had been baptized. "Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: "Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) "Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. "And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, "Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. "But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." (Acts 8:14-20)102 102See also Acts 5-17 and Acts 19:1-6. THE MISSION OF THE HOLY GHOST It is evident that the Holy Ghost was to be given all truly baptized disciples of Christ, both leaders and members. Just what is the mission of the Holy Ghost, that it should be given every true follower of Christ? This question is answered best by the Savior himself, in the Gospel of John, Chapters 14 to 16. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." (John 16:7) The Holy Ghost, or the Comforter, would bear witness of the Father and the Son: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: "And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning." (John 15:26-27) "Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." (1 Corinthians 12:3) And he would lead them to truth: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26) "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. "He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:13-14) The Holy Ghost was to bear witness of the Father and Son, lead the disciples to know the truth, and to be a source of comfort and reassurance to them as they declared the Savior's missions to the world. The Holy Ghost was to be a medium of revelation. This had ever been his mission among men. "But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost." (Mark 13:11) "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:21) LATTER-DAY SAINT DOCTRINE In harmony with New Testament teaching, Latter-day Saints also bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, on those who have been baptized as a witness of their faith in Christ and of their repentance. In a simple, sacred ceremony, following baptism, the convert is confirmed a member of the Church and given the Holy Ghost. According to our belief, The Holy Ghost performs today the same functions that he did in the lives of the apostles and disciples of old. In a modern revelation to Joseph Smith we read: "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. "Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; ..." (D&C 8:2-3) In the closing chapter of the Book of Mormon, the reader is invited to test its truthfulness through prayer and through the witness of the Holy Ghost. "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:3-5) The purpose of the Holy Ghost and its function in the life of the baptized believer is made particularly clear in another passage in the Book of Mormon. Here we read that the Holy Ghost can only come to us when we are meek and lowly of heart, being genuine disciples of Christ. And its purpose is to fill our lives "with hope and perfect love." "And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins; "And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God." (Moroni 8:25-26) The Spirit of the Lord may inspire any of God's children anywhere on the earth if they put themselves in tune with his Spirit. On the other hand, the Holy Ghost as a gift, is given as a constant and abiding companion to those who are prepared to receive it -- those who have faith in Christ, who have repented and been properly and worthily baptized, and are earnestly seeking to be his disciples. The Holy Ghost is seeking to lead such people to a fuller understanding and realization of Christian living. When they live so that they are worthy of the Holy Ghost, he can bless them with Christ-like insight, power, and virtue. This is attested in both the Bible and in our Latter-day Saint scriptures: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. "Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:22-26) "And again, verily I say unto you, I would that ye should always remember, and always retain in your minds what those gifts are, that are given unto the church. "For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. "To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby. "To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world. "To others it is given to believe on their words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful. "And again, to some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according as the Lord will, suiting his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men. "And again, it is given by the Holy Ghost to some to know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal. "And again, verily I say unto you, to some is given, by the Spirit of God, the word of wisdom. "To another is given the word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge. "And again, to some it is given to have faith to be healed; "And to others it is given to have faith to heal. "And again, to some is given the working of miracles; "And to others it is given to prophesy; "And to others the discerning of spirits. "And again, it is given to some to speak with tongues; "And to another is given the interpretation of tongues. "And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God. "And unto the bishop of the church, and unto such as God shall appoint and ordain to watch over the church and to be elders unto the church, are to have it given unto them to discern all those gifts lest there shall be any among you professing and yet be not of God. "And it shall come to pass that he that asketh in Spirit shall receive in Spirit; "That unto some it may be given to have all those gifts, that there may be a head, in order that every member may be profited thereby. "He that asketh in the Spirit asketh according to the will of God; wherefore it is done even as he asketh. "And again, I say unto you, all things must be done in the name of Christ, whatsoever you do in the Spirit; "And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing ye are blessed with. And ye must practise virtue and holiness before me continually. Even so. Amen." (D&C 46:10-33) These gifts must be cultivated. The Holy Ghost operates in a person's life only if he is meek and lowly of heart, only if he is striving to live a Christian life, to love God and man. We put no trust in the ordinance alone. Men must prepare their hearts to receive it and then live worthily to retain the gift; otherwise, it will not function in their lives. "A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him." (D&C 130:23) THE HOLY GHOST The mission of the Holy Ghost is clear and most inspiring in the life of man. The exact nature of the Holy Ghost has not been made known to us. We believe him to be separate and distinct from the Father and the Son. This is indicated in the directions about baptism when the Savior told his disciples to baptize "in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19) It is further indicated in the Savior's statement that he would pray to the Father who would send the Comforter. (See John 15:16, 17) The Holy Ghost is called, in modern revelation, a personage of Spirit. One in purpose with the Father and the Son, he has his own unique mission to perform in the lives of men. CHAPTER 28 THE SACRAMENT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is intimately related to the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel: faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Like these four, it also has to do with our relationship to Jesus Christ. For this reason, it is appropriate to consider the meaning of this sacred ordinance at this point in our course of study. THE SACRAMENT INTRODUCED The story of the Last Supper, that memorable occasion in an upper room in Jerusalem, when the Savior dined with the Twelve for the last time in anticipation of his imminent crucifixion, is told in three of the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.103 The Gospel of John does not record the introduction of the sacrament at the Last Supper. In its place we read of the beautiful lesson in humility taught by the Savior when he washed the feet of his disciples.104 In John, Chapter 6, a substantial reference is made to what is often related to the sacrament. 103See Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; and Luke 22:19, 20. 104See John 13. Both Mark and Matthew introduce the sacrament with approximately the same words. "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:26-29) In John 6:53-57 a similar thought is expressed. Jesus compares himself with the bread of life, which the Father sent down from heaven even as he sent manna to the children of Israel in the wilderness. And to the Jews who took him so literally in his statements, he said: "... Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. "For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. "As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (John 6:53-57) In the Gospel of Luke a different thought is interjected. Luke writes about the Last Supper as follows: "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20) The new emphasis here is "this do in remembrance of me." The only other reference of any length in the New Testament to the Lord's Supper, found in the writings of Paul, is quite consistent with the reference in Luke: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: "And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Corinthians 11:23-29) In the history of Christianity there has been endless and involved theological controversy over the meaning of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Some churches have taken Christ's words literally, believing in transubstantiation. This is the position of the Roman Catholic Church which holds that, through the act of consecration by the priest, there is a change in the substance but not in the appearance of the elements of the sacrament (the wine and wafer) into the real body and blood of Christ. This problem was debated for centuries and finally declared to be the official doctrine of the Church in the Lateran Council, 1225, and in the Council of Trent, 1551. According to this view, Christ is continually shedding his blood and breaking his flesh on behalf of the sinner, who receives divine grace therefrom through the sacrament administered by the Church. It is not our purpose in this course to enter into controversy, but simply to explain the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, leaving the reader to consider its value and truth. Reference is made here to transubstantiation to make more clear the Latter-day Saint position by way of contrast and also because the scriptures suggest more than one interpretation. THE MEANING OF THE SACRAMENT IN THE CHURCH There is profound meaning and great spiritual implication in our view of the sacrament, but no mystery in the ordinance itself. We do not believe that Jesus meant literally that we should eat of his flesh and blood. The broken bread and the wine, we believe, are merely symbols, both in substance and appearance, and remain such during the administration of the sacrament. They symbolize the broken flesh and spilt blood -- the very life of the Savior -- his sacrificial love for us. After the Savior's resurrection he visited his people on the American Continent. There he introduced the sacrament. The Book of Mormon records his visit and tells in more detail than the New Testament the meaning of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Not only is the symbolic character of the bread and wine clearly indicated, but also the purpose of the ordinances is told in simple and meaningful language. "And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his Disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him. "And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth. "And when the Disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the Disciples and commanded that they should eat. "And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude. "And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the Disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name. "And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you. "And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you. "And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his Disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it. "And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. "And when the Disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you. "And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." (3 Nephi 18:1-11) The purpose of the sacrament is to renew the witness of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which we made at the time of baptism. This is the reason why it is given to members of the Church, to those who have already declared themselves to be disciples of the Christ. The sacramental service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is an occasion for all members to meet together to remember the covenant they have made with God to be witnesses of Jesus Christ in their lives. It is a time to reflect on the life and death of the Savior, to remember his sacrificial love for us, his life, his teachings, and to express our love and gratitude to him. We take occasion to renew our faith in him, to repent of our wrongdoing and to renew our determination to do his will. Faith, repentance, and Christian living bring with them his Spirit to be with us. When his Spirit is with us, our faith is strengthened, our repentance is made sure, and our Christian life is bound to improve. THE SACRAMENTAL PRAYERS The purpose of the sacrament is told simply and effectively in the sacramental prayers which are spoken by the priest in the presence and in behalf of the congregation. They are among the very few set prayers in the Church. "O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." (Moroni 4:3) "O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen." (Moroni 5:2) The prayers begin with a reverent salutation to the Father. Two related purposes are then indicated: (1) We partake in remembrance of the Savior, (2) And witness that we shall always remember him and do his will. And, finally, we do this that we might have his Spirit to be with us. That is his promise and our need. Peter, James, John, and the other apostles had been with the Savior three years. They had heard him teach, had watched him make the blind see and the lame walk, and had seen him suffer on the cross because of the hatred of men. The Twelve had become friends, loving one another because of their love for him. Jesus had helped to iron out difficulties among them. James and John, "Sons of Thunder," had been taught lessons in humility and service. Impetuous Peter had been tempered in his devotion to the Savior. A considerable degree of unity had been established. In his beautiful prayer, in John 17, Jesus pleaded with the Father to make the Twelve one, even as he and the Father were one. How was this to be achieved? One way to achieve oneness was to dine together in remembrance of their Master. He had often dined with them. No doubt he prayed and talked with them on such occasions, unifying and inspiring their thoughts and feelings. Now that he was about to leave them, how fitting that he should ask them to meet together often in his name and bear witness of their faith in him that his Spirit might ever been with them. One can visualize how meaningful the partaking of bread and wine must have been to these men who had done so with the Savior and now were engaged in doing his work among men. In this same prayer, Jesus said: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." (John 17:20-23) You and I do not know the Savior in the same Personal way in which his disciples of old knew him. We come to know him through faith, through worship, through a study of his life and teachings, and by trying to be sincere, merciful, and loving as he invited us to be in his Sermon on the Mount. As we increase in these things, we, too, may come into a fellowship with him that is real, that brings joy, and that can be shared with others who are engaged in the same pursuits. The sacrament enables all of us who believe in Christ and desire to do his will to increase our fellowship with him. Each Sunday we renew our faith and our witness; we think through what it means to be one of his disciples; we humbly resolve to walk more nearly in the path he would have us enter. This we think is the purpose of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Like baptism, it is to help us grow in our Christian faith and living. WATER FOR WINE In the sacramental prayers quoted earlier, and in the New Testament account, bread and wine were used as symbols in the sacramental service. In our Church today we use bread and water. The reason for this is interesting. In the beginning we used bread and wine. However, in the early days of the Church, on the frontiers of America, the Church suffered considerable persecution. It was difficult for the Saints always to have wine of their own and to keep it fresh. There was the danger of pollution from enemies, or from lack of refrigeration. For these reasons, a revelation was given, stating the relative importance of things: "For, behold, I say unto you, that it mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament, if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins. "Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, that you shall not purchase wine neither strong drink of your enemies; "Wherefore, you shall partake of none except it is made new among you; yea, in this my Father's kingdom which shall be built up on the earth." (D&C 27:2-4) "The letter killeth but the spirit giveth life." Today throughout the Church we use water instead of wine. It is easily available in a sanitary and wholesome condition and, therefore, does not detract in any way from the spiritual purposes of the sacrament. WORTHINESS TO PARTAKE The sacrament is given to members of the Church because one of its purposes, as we have noted, is to renew the witness of our faith in Christ, which we made at the time of baptism. It is far from our desire to offend the non- member in our midst by refusing him the sacrament. He may partake, if he wishes, but in doing so does not share fully in its meaning with those who have joined through baptism in a fellowship in Christ. Only those members should partake of the sacrament who feel worthy to do so. Paul indicated this in his letter to the Saints at Corinth: "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Corinthians 11:27-29) The Book of Mormon gives a similar admonition in a spirit of kindness: "Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. "Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name; "And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you. "Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed. "And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not; "But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name. "Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up -- that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed. "And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation. "And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words, he turned his eyes again upon the Disciples whom he had chosen, and said unto them: "Behold verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you another commandment, and then I must go unto my Father that I may fulfil other commandments which he hath given me. "And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; "For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him. "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood. "But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered. "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them." (3 Nephi 18:18-32) On occasion it may be the responsibility of the bishop of the ward to refuse the sacrament to someone who is unworthy to partake of it and is too stubborn to acknowledge the fact. This the bishop should do for the person's own sake as well as out of respect to the emblems of the Lord. Generally, however, it is left to each individual to decide his own worthiness to partake of the sacrament. The individual assumes the primary responsibility for his relationship to his Savior. It is the responsibility of the Church to teach the meaning of Christian discipleship and what it means to be worthy of it, but the individual, except in extreme circumstances, is the judge of his own worthiness. There is no perfection in human nature. The Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ are here "For the perfecting of the saints, ... "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:12-13) As long as we are sincerely trying and are earnestly devoted to our Christian faith, we are worthy, in our imperfection, to partake of the sacrament. If our lives are sullied with hate and hypocrisy, we are not worthy. The Savior's words are helpful in this respect: "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; "Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift." (Matthew 5:23-24) PART 6 THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (Comprising Chapters 29 to 33) CHAPTER 29 THE CHURCH -- ITS NATURE AND PLACE IN OUR LIVES Thus far in our course of study we have been concerned with theology and religion. We have studied the doctrines of God, man, and Christ, and have tried to relate these to life. We turn our attention now for a few lessons to an understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church teaches theology, but is itself not to be confused with theology. Likewise, the Church promotes the religious life, but is itself not religion. We study theology and practice religion in and through the Church, but it is helpful if we distinguish the Church from both of these. WHAT IS THE CHURCH The Church is a social institution. Social institutions, such as the family, the government, a fraternity or lodge, a business corporation, or a school, have three very essential characteristics: I. People II. Purpose III. Organization The church, any church, consists of a body of believers with a goal and with at least a minimum of organization, through which these believers work toward the realization of their goal. Let us consider briefly each of these three elements of the church. I. People There was never a church without people. A church may exist without a chapel or a meetinghouse, with only a minimum of theology, with very little organization and ritual; but it cannot exist without people. One person alone cannot be a church. There must be two or more who share a common faith and purpose. When we think of a church, we must always include people in our thinking. They are a most essential element in the life of the church, and a very human element. II. Purpose Each social institution mentioned above survives in society because it satisfies human needs or because it serves some purpose in life. The family persists despite its failures and problems because people need the companionship, love, security, and other things which the family can provide. Business corporations usually survive as long as they make a profit and their owners are interested in making profits. Armies exist for conquest or defense. Do away with these needs or goals and the modern army would likely disappear from our society. Likewise, the church exists to achieve certain goals or to satisfy certain needs in human life. It is unique among other institutions, in part, because its goals are distinctive. They differ markedly from those of industry, army, school, and even the family. The church has religious goals which we shall consider shortly. III. Organization Whenever people work together for common goals, there must needs be at least a minimum of organization. Someone has to take initiative, point the way, and correlate the efforts of the group. A group of nine girls of our acquaintance decided to form a club during their college days. They desired to do away with officers and the usual type of organization. It was decided that each girl would take turns conducting the business each week. Even this much planning was the beginning of an organization. Their experience taught them that their minimum set-up was too loose, too inefficient. They soon changed over to a more conventional type of group-organization. Churches vary in the type and extent of their organizational structure, but they must have some. VALUES IN BELONGING TO A CHURCH With all the institutions that exist today, one may well ask: Why belong to a church? What does a church have that cannot be obtained at home, in school, in the fraternity, or elsewhere? Let us consider some of the values of the church in the life of the individual and society. 1. We may belong to the church all the days of our life. We go to school only a few years and belong to a club during certain years while in school or business. Even our parental homes break up through divorce, death, or our own marriage. The fellowship of the church, however, is always available to us. Therein we are blessed as babies, nourished in sickness and in health, tolerated in our weaknesses, and are given funeral services at death. The church is always there to help, bless, and beckon us to its goals. No other institution, except the government, has the lifelong interest in man comparable to that of the church. And the church is far more personally interested in man than the government can be. The church lends continuity to the entire life of an individual. 2. The whole family may belong to the church and find a community of interest and a solidarity of feeling through church membership. Except for the government which is quite impersonal in our lives, only the church embraces the entire family. Children go to school, leaving parents at home. Father goes to work alone. He belongs to a service club without other members of the family. But the entire family may belong and participate in the church together. There they meet the same people, sing and pray together, and share in rich measure closely-related experiences. A happy church life gives unity and high idealism to family life. 3. The church is universal in scope and interest. Its membership is open to all people regardless of race, nationality, color, education, marital status, economic standing, age, sex, or state of health. A church, particularly of Jesus Christ, is the great melting pot of mankind wherein all men are recognized as children of our Heavenly Father and as brothers to one another. The church is interested in the welfare of all men. 4. The church is unselfish in its interest. A family must take care of its own and, while it may be unselfish within its own membership, as a unit it is generally concerned first and foremost with itself. Business and government likewise must be constantly on guard to protect their own interests. The Church, too, is concerned with its own members. It tries to take care of its own, both materially and spiritually, seeking to perfect the Saints. However, the Church is also concerned with the welfare of all men -- men of every race and creed. For this reason, we as a Church teach the Gospel, if possible, to men of all nations. And when tragedy strikes, as in the 1960 earthquakes in Chili, we send goods from our welfare storehouses to alleviate suffering. 5. The church has an eternal perspective. Most human institutions are concerned with the here and now. The church works not only for man's welfare here but also for his eternal salvation in the life beyond the grave. As we meet in worship and in study in the church, we see life in its full perspective and try to understand and live it in harmony with its eternal character. 6. The church is idealistic in outlook and aspiration. This follows from many of the statements made above. It is concerned with all men, with the whole of life, with mortality and immortality, and all of these in terms of that which is highest and noblest in life. The church is devoted to ideals and to the will of God which is wholly righteous. The church, as a body of believers, falls far short of living as God requires. There is a good deal of the human element in human nature. In a very real sense, a church, in fact, is no more ideal than the thinking and behavior of the people who are in it. This is clearly indicated, for example, in the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians. While we acknowledge our limitations as human beings who belong to the church, it must also be realized that when we do meet together in the church, we are nearly always striving for the ideal, reaching out and up for that which is highest and noblest in life. Paul's recognition of the moral weakness and pettiness of the Corinthian Saints was accompanied by perhaps the most beautiful characterizations and plea for Christian love ever written.105 105Contrast 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 with 1 Corinthians 13. The church is not the only social institution that works for the common good among men. Many splendid human institutions are devoted to high ideals and worthy ends. However, it seems to us that the church, with its eternal view of things, universal membership, with faith in God and love of men, is an ideal meeting place where we all can evaluate our living, square it more nearly with the ideal, and lend each other vision and strength to do God's will. As individuals and families, we need the church to help us realize a full life. Much of what has been said in this chapter might apply to any church, for there is perhaps much good in all churches of our day. It will be our purpose in this and in a few succeeding chapters to help clarify the nature, purpose, and functioning of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We wish to indicate just how we envision and attempt to carry out the mission of Christ's Church. THE CHURCH -- A MEANS TO AN END The church is not an end in itself. Men do not exist for the sake of the Church. The Church is an instrument, a means of bringing to pass the welfare and salvation of men. All institutions and associations of men ought to be judged by their intent, and by their accomplishment in the lives of men. The value of any Christian church lies in what it is doing for human beings. When Jesus was condemned for healing on the Sabbath day, he replied to those who worshiped the letter of the law, divorcing "religious" living from its effect on life: "... Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace." (Mark 3:4) And then he healed the man with the withered hand. On another occasion, when he was likewise accused of breaking the Sabbath by permitting his disciples to "pluck" ears of corn to eat, he replied, "The sabbath ws made for man, and not man for the sabbath." (See Mark 2:23-28) In the mind and life of Jesus, religion itself was a means to an end, something to nourish and develop the souls of men, to be a joy and a blessing to them. This is evident in the things he did. He brought comfort to the poor, hope to the sinner, faith to men of little faith, mercy and forgiveness to the penitent, strong rebuke to the self-righteous who gloried in themselves, and love to all men. Why? For the sake of life, even as he said "... I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11) If religion itself is a means to the perfection and joy of man, how much more ought the Church to be considered a means to accomplish something good in human life. The Church is a sacred, divine, and necessary institution to Latter-day Saints, but even so it remains a vehicle. God wants us to meet, plan, and work together in a fellowship of love and good will, with power and guidance from him to accomplish his purposes in the lives of men. In our time we have seen government arise under ambitious leaders, which placed the interests of the state above the welfare of the members of the state. Citizens were there to do the will of the state. The individual -- his rights, happiness, and life -- was unimportant and could be, and often was sacrificed to the interests of the state. This was the philosophy of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. In democratic nations, such as we have known for generations in Western Europe and on the American Continent, the philosophy of government is that the state exists to serve men -- to guarantee their freedoms, to protect their lives and property, to promote their welfare. Government is instrumental. Care has been taken to protect the people from the encroachment of the state. The Latter-day Saint teaching concerning the function of the Church is similar to this democratic view of the function of the state. We serve God, but only because of our faith that thereby we are helping to accomplish God's purpose in human life. His purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. The Church has been established to help achieve this divine purpose. THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH As already indicated, the purpose of the Church is to do something for people, to bring them happiness in this life and salvation and glory in the life to come. We might state it this way: The purpose of the Church is the purpose of the Gospel; the purpose of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to help men achieve the very purpose of life. The purpose of life is joy through self-realization of our full nature as a child of God.106 106See Chapter 9, "The Purpose of Life." From the beginning, the Church has been concerned with men, their welfare and salvation. Every teaching, doctrine, and activity, when correctly interpreted or participated in, is there for the purpose of developing a more Christ-like life among the children of men. This is well said by a former president of the Church in the early decades of this century: "Our mission has been to save men. We have been laboring all these eighty- eight years of the Church to bring men to a knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to bring them to repentance, to obedience, to the requirements of God's laws. We have been striving to save men from error, to persuade them to turn away from evil and to learn to do good." (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, pp. 87-88) The late Dr. John W. Widtsoe added this thought to the above concept: "When the Church or any part of it does not function for the good of man, it fails to function properly, and corrective measures should be undertaken. When it does result in human good, the Church is in good condition." (Programs of the Church, p. 17) This purpose of the Church may be considered in two ways: in the life of the individual and in the life of society. The Church is seeking to bless each individual, to awaken in him faith in Christ, to perfect him in the faith, to help him live a truly Christian life, to aid in his effort to obtain eternal life. We have stressed this mission of the Gospel and the Church in the life of the individual throughout this course. The Church also has a social mission. It is here to build up the kingdom of God by establishing a society of men who will live as God requires them to live. The Church, as a body of people, endowed with the gifts and powers of Deity, is here to represent God and Christ on the earth. It is our mission, and we say it in humility, deeply aware of our shortcomings, to establish a truly Christian society, to reveal to mankind the meaning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This concept of building the kingdom of God has been an important motivating force in Latter-day Saint history. Many of our forefathers left Europe and came to America to build a society which could be called Zion -- "a place where the pure in heart dwell," and a place worthy to be called after the Savior's name. Brigham Young said: "We have an object in view, and that is to gain influence among all the inhabitants of the earth for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of God in its righteousness, power, and glory, and to exalt the name of Deity, and cause that name by which we live to be revered everywhere that He may be honored, that His words may be honored, that we may be honored ourselves and deport ourselves worthy of the character of His children. (Widtsoe, Discourses of Brigham Young, pp. 671-72). Before discussing how we try to carry out this mission, we shall consider the authority in the Church and its organization. CHAPTER 30 PRIESTHOOD -- THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE CHURCH Authority, in general, means the right to rule or to govern. Some degree of authority is essential in all human associations where there is to be any semblance of order or cooperative endeavor. The Church is to no exception. There must be authority of some kind in the Church. This fact leads to interesting questions: 1. What kind of authority is needed? 2. Whence is it obtained? 3. How does it function? If the church were simply a body of men organized to achieve a noble purpose in the lives of men, then its authority would naturally derive from its own members. If, on the other hand, a church purports to represent Jesus Christ, to interpret his Gospel, to speak for him, to baptize and confirm in his name, to establish his kingdom, then such a church ought to have some commission or authorization from him. A divine church needs divine authority, a divine calling to link it with the Father and Son whom it represents among men. Men may differ about the nature of this authority, but certainly it is difficult to deny the fact that men ought to have some right given them to speak for God. For Latter-day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ is a body of believers divinely commissioned and organized to represent Christ on the earth. We believe divine authority is essential in Christ's Church. We shall introduce the reader to our concept of authority or priesthood in this chapter. To make it more clear we shall draw comparisons and contrasts with other Christian views on authority. Our desire and aim is to be fair and accurate in these comparative descriptions and leave it to the reader to judge their respective merits for himself. CONCEPTS OF PRIESTHOOD COMPARED 1. The Roman Catholic View Roman Catholics claim to possess the priesthood of God. It has come to them, they believe, from Jesus Christ through apostolic succession. According to their view, Christ ordained Peter and recognized him as chief among the Apostles. Peter became the first bishop of Rome and ordained his successor in the bishop's office through whom divine authority has continued from successor to successor in Rome down to the present Pope. Priesthood for the Catholic is something real and objective which must be received by ordination from someone who has it. In this manner it is traced to its ultimate source in Christ himself. The Catholic Church thus recognizes authority as necessary in the Church and as something which is given to man by Christ. II. The Traditional Protestant View To Martin Luther and other Reformers, the authority of the Catholic Church came to be an oppressive barrier that stood between the people and the Bible, and also between the people and God. In his own experience Luther had found divine favor, he felt, through a direct inward relation of faith toward God. The right to preach for Christ came to a baptized Christian, Luther believed, through an inner call -- the witness of the spirit -- which enabled him to interpret the Bible and to feed the flock. No man was to stand between the individual believer and God and Christ. Those who felt the call most urgently and who were acceptable as preachers to the congregation would be recognized as ministers of God's word. Luther arrived at a concept of authority which he called "the universal priesthood of all believers." All men, he taught, who are baptized (that is to say, all Christians) are priests. To them is committed the ministry. The pastor or minister, as one of them, receives his authority from the body of Christians for whom he speaks.107 107See Luther's tract,The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520), part on "ordination," in any collection of his works. Characteristic of the entire Protestant tradition is this desire to be free from any priestly hierarchy. Ministers of God would be called by an inner summons, which calling would be recognized by their Christian brethren, who would appoint them to a pastoral position. It was no longer necessary, according to this view, to trace priesthood back to Christ through the papacy and apostolic succession, for it would come directly to a man as an inner summons, or call, through the gift of faith. Any or all believers might receive such a call. With this doctrine of authority, Luther believed he had restored the priesthood again to the individual, indeed to all believers. Priesthood became again for the Protestants something more personal and less institutional and surely something more democratic in its character and availability than it had been or is today in the Catholic Church. The Protestant doctrine of the universal priesthood of all believers certainly aimed to restore the priesthood to the people and tried to make of divine authority something that was genuinely and sincerely felt, something personal, one's very own which was to come directly from God. In another sense this Protestant doctrine has tended also to weaken the concept of divine authority, making it too subjective, too personal. Something that is simply felt, experienced within, may not be acceptable to others. It may even be questioned by its possessor who does not sense his inner calling with equal assurance at all times in his ministry. Priesthood has little meaning or emphasis in most Protestant religions. III. The Latter-day Saint Concept of Authority Latter-day Saints have this much in common with the Catholic view of authority. We believe that priesthood is the authority delegated to man by Deity and that it is received by ordination from someone who has been rightfully ordained. Our Fifth Article of Faith reads: "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (Articles of Faith 1:5) For us priesthood is something real that is delegated to man, given to him in a definite way by those who call him to serve God. No doubt there are passages in the Bible which may be used to support either position -- that of the inner calling or that of ordination by someone in authority. It seems to us that it is quite evident in the New Testament record that authority was given through ordination by someone who possessed it himself. Early in his ministry Jesus, "And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. "And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, "And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: ..." (Mark 3:13-19) According to the Gospel of John, Jesus said to the Twelve, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you." (John 15:16) When the Pristine Church began to increase and men were called to assist the Apostles chosen by Jesus, the Book of Acts repeatedly speaks of their being chosen and ordained by the men who had been previously ordained by Christ. Note, for example, the choice of Matthias to replace Judas Iscariot in Acts 1:15, 21-26, also the choice of seven men to assist the Twelve in Acts 6:1- 6.108 108Note also Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy 2:7. With the Protestants, we agree that priesthood should not be limited to a relatively few, but should be the possession of all men who desire it and are worthy to receive it. In the Latter-day Saints Church, priesthood is not limited to any professional group. Practically all male members of the Church who are twelve years old, or older may, and do, receive it. The leadership on all levels of Church organization is drawn from the rank and file of lay priesthood holders. In summary, Latter-day Saints believe that priesthood is authority delegated to man by ordination from someone who possesses it, by which he has the power and right to act for Deity in the salvation of men. This great privilege and responsibility of being a servant of God is not to be restricted to a few, nor to those who are especially trained; but it is available to all men on a basis consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. PREREQUISITES FOR OBTAINING THE PRIESTHOOD How does one obtain the priesthood in the Church? What are the prerequisites? I. Membership in the Church The first prerequisite is membership in the Church. This would appear self- evident and perhaps inconsequential were it not for the fact that worthy membership in the Church is itself a wonderful preparation to become a servant of God. A member of the Church is a person who has faith in Christ, is repentant, has borne witness of his faith and repentance through baptism and has received the Holy Ghost to fill his life with Christian love.109 He is already drawn to the Lord in faith and carries in his heart a witness of the mission of Jesus Christ. 109See Doctrine and Covenants 20:27; Mosiah 18:8-10 and Moroni 8:25-26. II. Moral Worthiness Before one is ordained to the priesthood or to any calling therein in the Latter-day Saint Church, he is interviewed by someone in authority over him, in the spirit of love and brotherhood, to ascertain if his membership in the Church has a real and genuine meaning for him, if he is morally clean, is honest in his dealings with fellow men, and is in harmony with the ideals and purposes of the Church, and with his fellow members and workers. If he is not, ordination is postponed until he is. III. A Willingness to Serve Priesthood is a call to service. It brings with it responsibility and leadership roles. Therefore, the candidate is always asked if he is willing to assume responsibility and to be a genuine participant in the life of the Church. His past record of work is also taken into consideration. IV. Age and Experience There are in the Church two priesthoods, though one is usually considered a appendage to the other: the Higher or Melchizedek, and the Lesser or Aaronic. It is a long-standing practice in the Church to ordain boys and men first to the Aaronic Priesthood and to advance them from time to time within that priesthood. A boy, for example, who grows up in the Church, is baptized at eight years of age, and if he proves faithful, worthy, and desirous of receiving the priesthood, he will receive it as follows: The Aaronic Priesthood Deacon at age 12 Teacher at age 14 Priest at age 16 Advancement within the Aaronic or Lesser Priesthood comes gradually, each calling bringing new opportunities for service and growth and testing the young man's willingness to serve. At nineteen he may be ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood in which there is no advancement but rather three different callings: elder, seventy, and high priest. Age, experience, and service rendered in the past also determine, in part, one's calling in the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood. The prerequisites for receiving the priesthood in the Church are consistent with the principles of the Gospel, with faith, repentance, sincerity, humility, and love. They are also in harmony with the purpose of life. Men grow in Christian character by rendering Christian service. These prerequisites are within reach of nearly all men, since they have nothing to do with native endowment, family traditions, educational aptitude or opportunity, or economic possessions. There is still another reason why we believe the priesthood in the Latter-day Saint Church is given in harmony with Christ's wishes. It follows the pattern which he, himself, established in the Pristine Church. Jesus belonged to no professional class. No sooner had he begun to teach than his contemporaries asked, "How knoweth this man letters, having never learned." (John 7:15) Obviously, here was something new for "he spoke as one having authority, not as the scribes and Pharisees." When Jesus chose and ordained the Twelve, he by-passed the scribes and scholars of his day, and selected fishermen, a despised tax-collector, and a certain Nathanael among others, a man without guile. When the Twelve sought help in the selection of seven men to assist them in the work of the Church, they charged the Saints to "look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom." The Pristine Church of Christ was a Church in which no distinction was made between clergy and members. Men of ordinary circumstances were chosen as servants of God because of their moral worthiness and their potential ability to serve. Paul's description of a bishop is consistent with this fact. "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; "But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1:6-9) There is no objection to a trained and educated man's holding the priesthood. He is welcome as is the untrained and uneducated. Sometimes he may render unique and excellent service, even as Isaiah and the Apostle Paul did. The point is that the priesthood should not be limited to the educated. Other things are more important. And it is highly desirable that men from all walks of life have the privilege of becoming servants of God and working together in the ministry of Jesus Christ. THE SPIRIT OF THE PRIESTHOOD The Apostles of Jesus were certainly human. Even at the Last Supper, "And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. "But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." (Luke 22:24-26) This passage is typical of many more from which we are assured that Christ wanted his disciples to exercise the priesthood in the spirit of the Gospel. We are taught also in the Book of Mormon and in the Doctrine and Covenants that the priesthood is essentially the power of God given to man to serve his fellow-men. When the Savior appeared on the American Continent and established his Church among the people, he said, "... Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; ... (3 Nephi 12:1) Early in the history of the Church men were told in what spirit they were to serve the Church: "Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. "Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. "Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work; "For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul; "And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work. "Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. "Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen." (D&C 4:1-7) The most beautiful and meaningful passage we know on how a man should exercise his priesthood has also come to us through Joseph Smith. "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? "Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson -- "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. "Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. "Hence many are called, but few are chosen. "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; "By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile -- "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. "The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever." (D&C 121:34-46) SUMMARY By way of summary may we suggest four aspects of the Latter-day Saint doctrine of authority, which we think are especially worthy of careful evaluation. 1. We believe that priesthood is the authority of God, real and objective, delegated to man through ordination by someone who holds it. 2. We believe that this responsibility and opportunity should be available to all men. Let every man become a servant of God. 3. We believe that prerequisites for receiving the priesthood should be consistent with the principles of the Gospel, the purpose of the Church, the Savior's own life, and the nature of authority in the Pristine Church. 4. We believe that the priesthood is given man so that he might serve his fellows and lead them to God and Christ. CHAPTER 31 PRIESTHOOD ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTION In the last chapter we considered general aspects of our doctrine of priesthood -- its nature, basis of acquisition, and the spirit in which it functions. We turn now to a consideration of its organization and functioning in the Church. We speak of the priesthood in two meanings of the word: (1) as the authority of God delegated to man and also (2) as the body of men who bear this divine authority. The reader will need to keep both usages of the word in mind. TWO PRIESTHOODS We speak of two priesthoods in the Church: the Melchizedek and the Aaronic or Levitical. In reality they are two divisions of one priesthood, the authority of God delegated to man. The Melchizedek Priesthood is the higher and governing authority of the Church and the Aaronic Priesthood is an appendage and help to it. I. The Melchizedek Priesthood The Melchizedek Priesthood is named for a great high priest in ancient times to whom Abraham paid tithes.110 Before that time, according to a revelation received by Joseph Smith, the priesthood was called "the Holy Priesthood after the order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence for the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of His name," the name of the priesthood was changed to the Melchizedek Priesthood.111 110See Genesis 14:18-20. 111Doctrine and Covenants 107:1-6. This High Priesthood "holds the right of presidency, and has power and authority over all the offices in the church in all ages of the world."112 Men holding the Melchizedek Priesthood preside over all the affairs of the Church. Theirs is the responsibility to govern the Church, to organize it, to establish policies and practices of the Church. 112Doctrine and Covenants 107:8 It is also essential to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood in order to participate in many of the more spiritual functions of the Church such as ordinations, administrations, and much of the ordinance work of the Church. It is a major responsibility of men holding this Higher Priesthood to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ both to members of the Church and to all men. The missionary work of the Church is under the direction of presiding quorums of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Male members of the Church who go forth as missionaries hold this higher priesthood. II. The Aaronic Priesthood The Aaronic Priesthood, as the name indicates, is named for Aaron, brother of Israel's great prophet, Moses. Aaron assisted Moses in the latter's leadership in Israel, according to the Old Testament account.113 Aaron and Moses were descendants of Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob. When Israel was established as a nation under Moses and was led from Egypt back to Canaan, the responsibility of carrying on the priestly functions was given to the tribe of Levi through Aaron. Later on, as the Israelites conquered and settled in Palestine, the sons of Levi were not given a fixed piece of territory like the other tribes of Israel, but were scattered among all tribes that they might perform the priestly functions for the whole of Israel. 113See Exodus, particularly Chapter 4. It has been made known through modern revelations that the Melchizedek Priesthood was taken from the earth with Moses and was not generally held among men from the time of Moses to the coming of Jesus Christ.114 The Aaronic Priesthood continued during this period of time and functioned wherein it had a right to function. 114See Doctrine and Covenants 84:23-27. The Aaronic Priesthood is an appendage to the Melchizedek Priesthood. Those who bear this priesthood work under the direction of those who hold the Higher Priesthood and assist them in many functions of the Church. Bearers of the Aaronic Priesthood function particularly in the interest of the temporal welfare of the Church, as we shall illustrate below as we consider the various callings within this division of the priesthood. THE PRIESTHOOD QUORUM A man who holds either the Melchizedek or the Aaronic Priesthood belongs to a quorum, a group of men, who hold the same office in the priesthood which he holds and who also reside in the same wards or stake or mission in which he resides. The priesthood functions both in the bearer's life as an individual and as a member of his quorum. A man bearing the priesthood in the Church has a responsibility to himself, to the Church, to Christ and the Father, and also to fellow members of the quorum to which he belongs. Throughout the Church, in all of its geographical subdivisions, wherever there are enough men holding the priesthood to make it feasible, they are organized into priesthood quorums. This is, as far as we know, unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is interesting and merits our consideration. Why do we have quorums of the priesthood? I. The Purpose of a Priesthood Quorum Through revelation the Church was advised to organize bearers of the priesthood into quorums with presiding officers. From this revelation, and from the experience of over a century with quorum functioning, the purposes of a quorum might be designated as threefold. 1. Men are organized into quorums that they might study the Gospel and qualify themselves to teach and preach it. Here, too, they are to learn the other specific duties of their particular office and calling in the priesthood and to prepare themselves through study and practice to fulfill their priesthood responsibilities. To this end members of each quorum meet together weekly, under the leadership of quorum officers and those appointed to teach them, that they might learn their duty and know how to perform it. 2. A second function of a quorum is to do the work of the Church as a body of men, shoulder to shoulder, as they are called upon by whoever presides over them. Many assignments in the Church, both of a practical and spiritual nature, are given to quorums of the priesthood. For example, a quorum may have a farm project by means of which they raise food for the needy of the Church. They may be asked to visit a hospital in the community each night for a month and administer to the sick and afflicted. A group of men can do jobs too large for individuals working separately. Quorums are there to serve the Church and their fellow men in the strength of the group. 3. The third important purpose of a quorum is brotherhood among its members. It is designed as a fraternity or as a brotherhood of men in Christ. There is much value and great potential in the priesthood quorums of the Church for the development of Christian brotherhood. Their bond is the Gospel of Jesus Christ with its principle of love. Their work is highly spiritual and moral in spirit and purpose and yet is also practical and concrete in deed. Each quorum has the responsibility of safeguarding and improving the personal welfare of each member and his family. The president of the quorum can and should know each member of his quorum -- his family, occupation, state of health, circumstances, and happenings of consequence to his well-being. The president has the resources of all the members of the quorum at his command to see that each member is helped in his need, both in his daily need and in the hour of emergency or tragedy, and both in material and spiritual affairs. No man in the priesthood needs to feel that he walks alone. The priesthood quorum is designed to give every man and his family that most important feeling that he belongs to other human beings who need, support, and love him. In practice, we do not live up to the ideal as we should. Some men are inactive and do not sense their responsibilities to the group. Others are only semi-active. Still others are quite active, but are too concerned with other interests to give sufficient attention to the quorum responsibilities. However, sufficient brotherhood has been developed in quorums throughout the Church to demonstrate the wisdom and the great potential for good in having servants of God, bearers of his Holy Priesthood, organized in groups which we call quorums. We shall outline the quorums of the priesthood of the Church and indicate the organization, number, and specific priesthood duties of each office in the Church. II. Quorums in the Aaronic Priesthood 1. Deacons -- The first calling in the Aaronic Priesthood is the office of deacon.115 A deacon has the privilege of passing the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to the Saints. He is also to assist the bishop, the presiding officer in the ward, or community of Latter-day Saints, in all the temporal affairs of the Church. Deacons help to keep the meetinghouse and grounds in good repair and beautiful, work for the widows, aged, and afflicted in the community, and carry out other practical projects under the leadership of the bishop of their ward. 115See Lyon, T. Edgar, Introduction to Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, Chapter 3. A deacon's quorum consists of 12 members, including a president and his two counselors. They meet together weekly to study the Gospel, report their duties accomplished, and to plan for the work that lies ahead. They function under the direction of the bishopric of the ward. It is the practice today to ordain boys who are worthy in character and willing to serve to the office of deacon at the age of twelve years. They serve in this capacity usually for two years. 2. Teachers -- The second calling within the Aaronic Priesthood is the office of a teacher. A teacher has the right and privilege to perform all the duties of a deacon. He, as a matter of fact, has the same responsibility as a deacon to assist the bishop in all temporal affairs of the ward. In addition, he is to become a visiting or home teacher. In the companionship of a brother who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood, as his senior companion, each month he has several families in the ward to visit. Their purpose is to represent the bishop, take his message to the people, inquire of their health and welfare, and to teach and serve these families as their inspiration dictates and as they are instructed by the bishop. A teacher's quorum consists of twenty-four members, including the president of the quorum and his two counselors. The quorum functions much as a deacon's quorum does. Boys in the Church who qualify are ordained at the age of fourteen and serve two years in this calling. 3. Priests - The third and highest calling within the Aaronic Priesthood is the office of priest. A priest has the authority and right to perform any function appertaining to the office of a deacon or teacher. With them, under the direction of the bishop, he shares in the responsibility of caring for the material and physical welfare of the ward, its buildings, projects, and the needs of its members. In addition, he receives for the first time in his experience in the priesthood the privilege of blessing the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and also of baptizing people into the Church. These are two of the most sacred and spiritual ordinances of the Church. The priest also assumes an increased responsibility to learn, teach, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The priest's quorum consists of forty-eight members, presided over by the bishop of the ward, who is president of the quorum. He appoints members of the quorum to assist him as secretary and committee heads. Boys may be ordained priests at the age of sixteen and usually serve in this capacity until they become nineteen years of age. The bishop of each ward, assisted by his counselors, presides over the entire Aaronic Priesthood in his ward and is charged with the responsibility of guiding and developing the moral and spiritual life of the boys in his ward. III. Quorums in the Melchizedek Priesthood There are also three quorums in the Melchizedek Priesthood of the Church. However, they represent, not ranks in the priesthood, but special callings of equal authority. A humble elder in the Church, for example, has the same priesthood as the president of the Church, but a different calling. He may participate in the basic rites of the Church and receive revelation in his particular work in the Church even as the president does in his responsibility. 1. Elders -- When a man is ordained to the office of elder in the Church, he receives therewith the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood. He may perform any functions listed above appertaining to the offices of the Aaronic Priesthood. In addition, he now has a more spiritual calling. He may now confirm people members of the Church and bestow upon them the gift of the Holy Ghost; he may ordain other persons to the office of elder or to any office within the Aaronic priesthood; he may administer to the sick by the laying on of hands. He now assumes increased responsibility to teach and preach the gospel when he is called, and to preside over various organizations and functions within the Church. An elder's quorum consists of ninety-six members, presided over by a president and two counselors. They meet regularly for the purpose of fulfilling the three purposes of a quorum outlined above. They are a body of men, married and single, from all walks of life who come together to fraternize in the work of the Lord. 2. Seventies -- These men, like the elders, have all the general privileges and responsibilities of the Melchizedek Priesthood. Their special and distinctive calling is to be missionaries, to be minute men, ready to take the Gospel to others. They play a large role in the missionary labors of the Church both at home and abroad. The seventy's quorum is unique in its organization. It is presided over by seven presidents who are included in their membership of seventy. Their basic purposes are the same as those of an elder's quorum except for this special emphasis on preparing for missionary service. It is customary for such quorums also to finance a missionary in the field. 3. High Priests -- These men share with elders and seventies in holding the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood and in being privileged to exercise all of its functions. The special calling of a high priest is to preside. Therefore, men who are called to such positions in the Church as bishoprics, stake high councils and presidencies, apostles, patriarchs, and president of the Church are either already high priests, or are ordained high priests before they assume these positions. There is a high priest's quorum in each stake in the Church presided over by a president and his two counselors. Unlike the other quorums, no particular number of men belong to a high priest's quorum. This quorum usually consists largely of the older and more experienced men of the Church, men who have served faithfully in other callings in the priesthood. IV. Special Quorums within the Melchizedek Priesthood Elders', seventies', and high priests' quorums are general quorums found in the wards and stakes of the Church. There are hundreds of quorums in each of these three types. There are in the Church also three quorums that preside over the affairs of the entire Church. Their members are called General Authorities of the Church and their make-up and specific functions differ from those of the quorums described above. 1. The Quorum of the First Presidency, consisting of three high priests (the president of the Church with his two counselors), presides over the Melchizedek Priesthood of the Church. It guides and directs both the entire priesthood of the Church and all other affairs and organizations of the Church. 2. The Quorum of the Twelve116 consists of twelve Apostles, equal in authority with the First Presidency, but serving under their direction in administering the affairs of the Church. These men are called as special witnesses of Jesus Christ. They watch over the Church at home and abroad. 116Associated with the Quorum of the Twelve are men who have been called as Assistants to the Twelve. At present they number eight. They are not members of the Quorum, nor are they ordained apostles, but serve effectively to lighten the load of the Quorum members by assisting in their numerous and heavy responsibilities. 3. The First Council of Seventy consists of seven presidents of the Seventy whose duty it is to assist the Twelve and First Presidency particularly in the missionary work of the Church. In this capacity they also work directly with the seventies' quorums of the Church in their missionary labors. More will be said in ensuing chapters concerning the government of the Church and the responsibilities of the General Authorities. We mention them here in their capacity as quorums and to indicate that they preside over the priesthood in the Church. THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE THE PRIESTHOOD There is a difference between bearing the priesthood and the right to use it. This distinction is well made by a late apostle, John A. Widtsoe. "Every man holding the priesthood of God may exercise its power in behalf of himself and family. He may seek revelations for his own guidance; he may administer to his own family; teach, rebuke, and bless them, and he may bear witness to the truth of the Gospel and seek to sustain his fellow men. In all this, his priesthood will sustain him. "But, no man may exercise the power of his priesthood for the Church except by appointment of those who hold the keys of the priesthood -- that is, those called to presiding positions." (Program of the Church, pp. 136-137) There is an administrative order in the Church which enables the priesthood to function with order, purpose, and effectiveness, which we shall describe in our next chapter. CHAPTER 32 THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is unique in the structure and character of its organization. It is varied, diversified, and complex, and it is well integrated and highly centralized. In this chapter we shall first describe its main features and then discuss some of its more significant characteristics. ECCLESIASTICAL DIVISIONS Whenever the Church is well established in a region, with a considerable number of Latter-day Saints, it is organized into what we call wards and stakes. Each ward is a church-community, comparable in a sense to a parish in some denominations. Several wards, usually from five to ten, comprise a stake of Zion. This is indicated in simple form as follows: In January 1960, there were 2,309 wards organized into 290 stakes in the Church.117 Each year new wards and stakes are organized as the Church grows steadily in membership through natural increase and through its missionary labors. 117Also 305 independent branches or small church-communities in the stakes. [Transcriber's note: As of 31 December 2000, there were 2,581 stakes, 621 districts, 334 missions, 25,915 wards and branches; with a total Church membership of 11,068,861, with 60,784 full-time missionaries, and 102 operating temples.] In mission fields where the Church is not yet established in large numbers, we have another ecclesiastical arrangement which is quite similar to the one described above. There the church-community is called a branch. Several branches make up a district, and districts combine to form a mission of the Church, something as follows: From the very beginning of our history, the Latter-day Saints have been a missionary people, proclaiming the message of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ in every nation where political conditions permitted. Missionary work is done among both Christians and non-Christians. We have missions throughout most of free Europe and in North and South America, the Isles of the Pacific, and Japan. On January 1, 1960, there were 1823 branches in 50 missions of the Church. As the number of Latter-day Saints increases sufficiently in the branches and districts of the mission fields, they are made into wards and stakes. Since the program of the Church in the mission fields is similar to that in the stakes, we shall confine our description of the Church program to the latter to avoid needless repetition. I. The Ward The ward is the basic unit, the human community of the Church. Every member of the Church belongs to a ward along with several hundred (often about 600) other members. Like the Jewish synagogue, a Latter-day Saint ward is a religious school, a social and fraternal center, and a place of worship. The typical Church meetinghouse reveals this threefold character of the program, for it contains classrooms, recreational facilities, and a chapel. The key leader in a ward is called the bishop. He is nominated for this position by the presidency of the stake under whom he serves and is called, and ordained to the position by the General Authorities of the Church. The bishop is not paid for his services and carries on the heavy responsibilities associated with his office and calling along with the task of earning a living for his family and fulfilling the duties of a father of his own household. Paul's qualifications for a bishop are followed very closely in the Church by those who choose and call them: "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; "But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." (Titus 1:7-9) The Latter-day Saint bishop is a high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood and is also ordained to the office of a bishop. He is assisted by two counselors, also high priests, of his own choosing, subject to the approval of those who preside over him. These brethren serve until released, usually about five years, and are then called to some other service in the Church. The bishop is the shepherd of the flock. He is both a temporal and spiritual leader, charged with the responsibility of the complete welfare of every person who belongs to his church-community. He is called a "common judge in Israel." His work may be thought of in two large categories: (1) To know and keep in touch with his members, and (2) To help them satisfy their practical and spiritual needs. Obviously it is impossible for the bishop to keep in constant touch with from 100 to 300 families in his ward. To assist him in this work, men of the priesthood are called to visit members in their homes monthly and as needed. For example, under the new priesthood correlation program of the Church, elders visit elders' families. These visitors are called home teachers. They represent both their quorums and the bishop of the ward, watching over the flock and rendering assistance temporally and spiritually as required and accepted. This system works something as follows: Similarly the home teachers from the seventies' and high priests' quorums visit families of seventies and high priests respectively and report to their quorum leaders who in turn keep in touch with the bishop. Under this new home teaching program great responsibility is placed on priesthood quorums and everything is correlated under the leadership of the bishop. THE WARD PROGRAM The bishopric organizes the members of his ward along various established lines and procedures in the Church, to help them satisfy their needs as human beings and as disciples of Jesus Christ. The program is too rich and complex to describe in one place. (Here we can outline a few major functions of a ward and leave other features of the program to later chapters.) 1. Priesthood Work The bishop presides directly over the Aaronic Priesthood in his ward and over all of the functions performed by members holding this priesthood, such as baptisms and the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, home teaching, and caring for the physical and material needs of families and persons living in his church-community. Quorums of the Melchizedek Priesthood are not under the immediate direction of the bishop, but come under the direct supervision of the stake and General Authorities. However, these quorums usually meet as groups in his ward and are happy to carry responsibilities assigned to them by the bishop. In fact, as members of the ward, they come individually under his immediate leadership. He calls upon these men to hold responsible positions in his ward. II. The Auxiliary Program In the course of our history, various organizations have been established within the Church to meet the needs of our people. They are called auxiliary because they are helps to the priesthood in building the Kingdom of God. We shall list them with a simplified statement of their purposes: A. The Relief Society. This is an organization of the women of the Church, presided over by a president and her two counselors, the purposes of which are: 1. To render loving service to the needy, sick and afflicted, and those who mourn 2. To train each woman to be more effective and devoted in her roles of wife, mother and home-builder. 3. To bring increased learning, culture, and refinement into the lives of its members. 4. To strengthen the women of the Church in their faith in and discipleship of Christ. 5. And -- this is meant seriously, not facetiously -- to "provoke" their husbands and sons to good works, to do their duties in the priesthood and the Church. B. The Sunday School. This is an organization which meets each Sunday morning and is the only auxiliary which includes all age-groups of the Church from the "cradle roll" to the most advanced in age and Church experience. Its purposes are: 1. To help people learn to worship God and hold in reverence things sacred and holy. 2. To teach people the Gospel of Jesus Christ in such a way that they will increase in faith and live its teachings. C. The Primary Association. This is a week-day organization serving children under twelve years of age. Its purposes are much like those of the Sunday School, with an added emphasis on sociability, and with opportunity for a variety of practical activities appropriate to a week-day afternoon. The Primary Association is particularly concerned with preparing boys and girls for baptism into the Church at the age of eight, and boys for receiving the priesthood at the age of twelve. D. The M.I.A. This stands for Mutual Improvement Association, with divisions for both young men and young women, and a class for adults. The M.I.A. directs the major part of its program to the youth of the Church from the age of twelve years to marriage. Boys and girls meet together, each with their separate as well as combined programs under the leadership of men and women. The purposes of M.I.A. might be suggested as follows: 1. To build faith in God, in Jesus the Christ, and in the program of the Church. 2. To provide an ideal setting for social life and friendship under the influence of the Gospel and the Church. 3. To develop the personality and character of the youth through self-expression in all wholesome aspects of life: education, recreation, culture, service, and worship. The M.I.A. continues where the Primary leaves off in week-day activities, aiming at the further development of the young members of the Church. Older people are welcome and are needed in the M.I.A. to lend balance and a steadying hand to the program. III. General Functions In addition to the priesthood and auxiliary programs, which function in the wards, there are other activities of a more universal character. Each Sunday the bishop plans and presides over a sacrament service, in which members of the Church are privileged to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. It is a sacred meeting in which we renew our faith in Christ, worship God, and encourage one another through sermons to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The bishop is rarely the preacher. His interest is to accomplish the religious purposes of the meeting, and he calls on members of his ward or others to provide music and to give talks in this important service. Each ward usually has a choir composed of members of the ward, who sing without remuneration. The bishop also plans and supervises numerous other activities of the Church, which are carried out on the ward level -- welfare projects, building projects, genealogical research, temple work, and civic projects of importance to the Church. IV. The Stake Latter-day Saints belong to wards, to Church communities. Several wards make up a stake, which is an administrative unit established to guide and integrate the activities of the wards and the priesthood quorums within its boundaries. Stake officers represent a liaison group between the wards and the General Authorities of the Church. The general officers of a stake are as follows: Preside Over The stake presidency, with the advice and assistance of the high council, presides over and directs all the affairs of the wards in the stake. The bishop is, of course, granted much respect and initiative in directing the affairs of his ward. The stake authorities in turn are amenable to the General Authorities of the Church, who conduct the affairs of the entire Church. The General Authorities are organized something as follows: 118The President, Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and his two counselors. 119Eight at the present time. 120Seven in number. 121The Presiding Bishop and his two counselors. The Church is presided over by the President and Prophet of the Church, even as Moses led the children of Israel. He is both the administrative head of the Church and the prophetic voice for God to his people. He is assisted by two counselors, who with him, form the quorum of the First Presidency of the Church. The First Presidency is the highest governing body of the Church. The Twelve Apostles are equal in authority to the First Presidency, but serve under the latter's direction. Called as special witnesses to Jesus Christ, the Apostles, under the leadership of the First Presidency, conduct the affairs of the Church throughout the world. They visit the stakes and missions of the Church continuously and meet in council regularly with the First Presidency to consider the welfare of the Church. Assistants to the Twelve have also been called to help in the extensive responsibilities of the Council of th Twelve. The First Council of the Seventy is called to serve, particularly in the missionary labors of the Church, under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. The Patriarch to the Church, is also called, along with the Apostles and First Presidency, to be a prophet, seer, and revelator to the Church. His special function is to bless the people of the Church as patriarchs of Old Testament days gave blessings to their posterity. The Presiding Bishopric presides over the Aaronic Priesthood work of the Church and also, under the direction of the First Presidency, takes care of the financial affairs of the Church -- the collecting of tithes and offerings, the erecting and maintenance of buildings, temples, and all other material problems of the Church. While this presentation of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not been complete, it may have given a general and over-all view. Let us turn to some of the basic qualities which characterize the Church organization as a whole. Some of these are quite unique. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS 1. The Church is Governed by the Priesthood Divine authority, or priesthood, is essential in Church leadership. Men are called and ordained before assuming important positions of leadership in the Church. The President of the Church holds all of the keys, powers, and authority vested in the Melchizedek Priesthood. Other officers in the Church are given authority adequate to the office to which they are called. This authority is to be held and exercised in humility and love for the salvation of man, but it functions also within an orderly system of delegated authority. Many women and girls serve in the Church, particularly in the auxiliary organizations. Under the general supervision of the priesthood, they preside over the Relief Society, the Primary, and the Young Women's Mutual Improvement Association, and also render invaluable service to the Sunday Schools of the Church. II. Things are Done with Counsel A verse in Proverbs reads: "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety." (11:14) The organization of the Church is highly centralized in the person of the Prophet and President of the Church. But everyone in responsible positions in the Church, with rare exceptions, serves with two counselors. The President of the Church and of each stake of Zion, the bishop of each ward, the president of each quorum, mission, and auxiliary in the Church serve with two counselors. This means that the head of the Church and every organization within it has the help, support, wisdom, fellowship, and inspiration of at least two other persons of his or her own choosing. No one stands alone in Church service among the Latter-day Saints. We work together, in counsel, and enjoy and appreciate this effective and divinely-inspired arrangement. III. Everyone May Serve in the Church There is no distinction between laity and clergy in the Latter-day Saint Church. We have no "men of the cloth." Laboring men, doctors, lawyers, business men, senators in the Congress of the United States, and General Authorities of the Church all hold the same priesthood which they exercise in different callings within the Church. Just as Jesus chose fisherman, Matthew, the tax collector, and Nathanael, a man without guile, to be among his apostles, the Latter-day Saint Church calls farmers, business men, educators, lawyers, doctors, and engineers to be teachers, priesthood leaders, bishops, stake presidents, and apostles in the Church. And after they are called to positions of responsibility, they remain one of the people, wearing the same clothing, rendering obedience to the same principles, and belonging to their home wards. In this sense, the Latter-day Saint Church is a lay church, or a church of priests, where all men are called to serve, and women in large numbers too. In a typical ward of six hundred members, fully one-third -- two hundred -- will hold some position as teacher, officer, or committee member. People are rotated in office from time to time. Through the years a Latter-day Saint may have a rich and varied experience in leadership and in human relations. This lay character of the Church, as it works out in practice, is not without its limitations. Voluntary service is not always done conscientiously. People without adequate training may be ineffectual in the classroom or in responsible positions. We live in a professional age which in itself is a great challenge to any church in which untrained people serve. There are many things, however, which we who have grown up in the Church appreciate about its lay character. The great bulk of the work of the Church is voluntary and unpaid; it is done freely and gladly for the joy of service. This is consistent with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Men and women from all walks of life learn the meaning of faith, humility, love, compassion, not from hearing the word only, but from doing. Men learn faith by being put into a position where they must live by faith and likewise humility and love. The Church puts men to work, gives them responsibilities adapted to their ability and need. Latter-day Saints study because they are teachers of others. They pray because their responsibilities are greater than their capacity. They may be called upon any time to pray with, or to bless a neighbor, or to help build a house for a widow. These experiences develop humility and increase love, peace, and good will among men. The organization of the Church and its functioning presuppose on the part of its members -- faith in God and inspiration from the Holy Ghost. Latter-day Saint teaching on this point is epitomized in a resolution expressed by a young prophet by the name of Nephi in the Book of Mormon story. He said: "... I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." (1 Nephi 3:7) Latter-day Saints know each other. They are not a congregation, but a community enjoying a rich fellowship under the auspices of the Church. There are meaningful things to do in the Church for young and old, boys and girls, and men and women. There is fellowship for all in both recreational and spiritual pursuits. IV. Our Goal -- A Full Life for Man The organization of the Church encompasses a rich program designed to help satisfy every human need for both this life and for life beyond the grave. The purpose of the Church today is very much the same as described in the Book of Mormon: "And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. "And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls. "And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus. "And they were strict to observe that there should be no iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders, and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of Christ. "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven. "And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done." (Moroni 6:4-9) CHAPTER 33 GOVERNMENT IN THE CHURCH Government -- whether in family, state, or church -- is the right of a person or persons to exercise power, authority, or control over other persons. The exact form which governments take in life is exceedingly variable. Even within the same government, there is constant change. In political life there has been throughout history a great struggle for power, with the result that we have known every form of government ranging from the absolute dictatorship of an individual or group to the democratic self-government of the people in a small community. The general trend in recent centuries in Europe and America, and in Asia today, has been toward some form of democratic self-government, with frequent lapses into some type of personal or group dictatorship. Government in a religious group is not wholly different from civil forms and problems of government. In a church also someone must assume leadership and exercise control. In various churches, specific forms of government are likely to follow the same basic patterns which we have described as being characteristic of political life. In some churches, the people have no voice in government; in others the complete control rests in the hands of the congregation. It is our purpose in this chapter to explain the character of government which obtains in the Latter-day Saint Church. We shall discover that in the Church there is neither absolute control by a few leaders nor by the people as a whole. In other words, the Church is neither a theocracy nor a democracy, but has important features of both. First let us define terms. A THEOCRACY The word theocracy means government of God. Since he does not govern personally upon the earth, a theocracy in fact means government by representatives -- by men who speak for him, such as prophets and priests. The classic example of a theocracy in history is that of the Hebrew commonwealth before it became a kingdom under Saul, David, and Solomon. Moses was called of God by revelation and appeared before his people as an emissary, one sent of God to lead his people. Moses declared God's laws to the people. When they accepted his leadership, it was because they believed he was sent by Jehovah and spoke his will. Before Moses died, "he laid his hands upon" Joshua, who "was full of the spirit of wisdom, ... and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses." (Deuteronomy 34:9) Theocratic government continued under Joshua. In the centuries that followed, government changed under various prophets and military leaders until Israel became a kingdom. Henceforth, except as Israel and Judah gave serious heed to prophetic leadership -- which was infrequent - - the kingdoms were no longer under theocratic rule, but were monarchies. A DEMOCRACY A democracy means government by the people. In Abraham Lincoln's famous words, it is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people." In a pure democracy, such as is possible only in a small community, all decisions are made by the people directly in an assembly. In a larger body, such as the nations of today, we have representative democracy. People are governed by their elected representatives, but the final authority rests in the electing power of the people at large. The spirit and basic idea of a theocracy and a democracy differ markedly from one another. In theocracy, men look to God to guide them through his chosen representatives; in a democracy, men look to themselves and formulate principles of government from their own knowledge and experience. In a theocracy, men put their trust in fellow men, in the prophet; in a democracy, men put their trust in fellow men, in the common sense and wisdom of the mass of men. GOVERNMENT IN THE CHURCH 1. Theocratic Character The Latter-day Saint Church is not a democracy because its leaders are not nominated and elected by the people. Our Fifth Article of Faith reads: "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (Articles of Faith 1:5) The first prophet and head of the Church, Joseph Smith, was called by God, as was Moses of old, to be the leader of the people. The doctrines and basic structure and practices of the Church were received through revelation, not from the voice of the people in legislative assembly. Other men, successors in the prophetic office, have been called by God through the leaders of the Church. In fact, all officers in the Church -- general, stake, and ward -- are always called by men who preside over them. In this sense the Church is theocratic in structure. While the Church is theocratic in some respects, it is not strictly speaking a theocracy in the usual character known to us in history. While we recognize Christ as the head of the Church, and God as the source of our authority and law, still they have delegated to the body of the Church certain responsibilities and privileges which are democratic in character. Let us consider these. II. Democratic Character A. No one may hold any office in the Church without the sustaining vote of those over whom he presides. This is called the principle of common consent and came to us through revelation. "No person is to be ordained to any office in this church, where there is a regularly organized branch of the same, without the vote of that church;" (D&C 20:65) Officers in the church, as stated above, are chosen by those in authority over them, but are presented to the people several times a year in ward, stake, and general conferences, to be re-sustained or not sustained by the people over whom they preside. Thus, while the people do not have the power to nominate, neither do those nominated have the right to serve without the consent of the people. The people have the final check on whether a person may preside over them. In the Doctrine and Covenants various offices of the Church are named, together with the persons who are to fill these offices. This revelation is presented to the people as the will of God, through Joseph Smith. Still, the Lord left it up to the people either to accept or reject those whom he had called: "The above offices I have given unto you, and the keys thereof, for helps and for governments, for the work of the ministry and the perfecting of my saints. "And a commandment I give unto you, that you should fill all these offices and approve of those names which I have mentioned, or else disapprove of them at my general conference;" (D&C 124:143-144) This certainly is showing respect for the judgment and freedom of the people and is wholly in keeping with the spirit of democracy. B. The basic doctrines and policies of the Church do not become binding upon the people until they are accepted by the people. The Book of Commandments, a collection of revelations and other important documents of the Church, which later developed into our present Doctrine and Covenants, though inspired and revealed by God through his chosen servants, did not become scripture and normative to the Church until it was voted upon by the priesthood, quorum by quorum.122 Likewise, the Pearl of Great Price,123 our fourth book of scripture, was accepted by the Church before it became scripture. The Manifesto, declaring the resolution of the Church to abandon the practice of plural marriage, was accepted by the vote of the people in conference assembled.124 122See Lyon, T. Edgar, Introduction to Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, Chapter 3. 123Ibid, Chapter 15. 124Doctrine and Covenants, pp. 256, 257. C. All officers of the Church are subject to a periodic vote of confidence and to trial for misconduct. The first part of this proposition has already been indicated above. No official is exempt from trial for misconduct. We have in the Church several illustrations where leading authorities, such as apostles, have been excommunicated from the Church while in office. Even the president of the Church is subject to trial. "And inasmuch as a President of the High Priesthood shall transgress, he shall be had in remembrance before the common council of the church, who shall be assisted by twelve counselors of the High Priesthood; "And their decision upon his head shall be an end of controversy concerning him. "Thus, none shall be exempted from the justice and the laws of God, that all things may be done in order and in solemnity before him, according to truth and righteousness." (D&C 107:82-84) D. The Church believes strongly in the principle of free agency. Force and compulsion, persecution and authoritarianism have no place in the Church of Christ. This is beautifully portrayed in a passage on the exercise of the authority of the priesthood found in the Doctrine and CovenantsL "How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints. "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? "Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson -- "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. "Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. "Hence many are called, but few are chosen. "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; "By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile -- "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death." (D&C 121:33-44) In the Church, in contrast to man's relationship to the state, a man's relationship to authority is voluntary. He has considerable freedom to accept or to reject responsibilities in the Church or to be active or inactive. It is only when his behavior is detrimental to the common good that he is disciplined by the Church. His punishment is restricted to disfellowship or excommunication. "We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship. "We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded." (D&C 134:10-11) From the beginning, the revelations and teachings of the Church have placed confidence in the membership of the Church. The following passages bear out this fact: "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; "For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward." (D&C 58:26- 28) "Teach the people true knowledge, and they will govern themselves." (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 227) Joseph Smith was asked how he governed his people and preserved good order among them. He replied: "I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves."125 125Millennial Star, 13, p. 339. E. In the Latter-day Saint Church nearly all men hold the priesthood, and the great majority of women, who are active members, hold positions of responsibility. This means that large numbers of the lay members of the Church are always working together in good fellowship, on a level of mutual respect, and with a feeling of equality toward each other. This wide participation, with no distinction between laity and clergy, cultivates the spirit of democracy in the Church. Our General Authorities have been called from all walks of life -- business, law, education, agriculture, and public relations. Their earlier training does not separate them from the people, but helps them to share the point of view of the members. F. The spirit and teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, though they come to man from Him and are inspired of Deity, are also closely related to the fundamental assumptions of any democracy. Democracy assumes the essential dignity and worth of every individual and places man above the state or any other institution, and so does the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Democracy assumes the perfectibility of men and is opposed to slavery and caste, and so does the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, with its emphasis on eternal progression. Democracy assumes the equal right of all men to enjoy "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," or the opportunity to realize these goals; and the Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches the impartiality of God and the brotherhood of man. In a democracy the consent of the governed is essential in all important issues and practices. In the Church of Jesus Christ we also believe in common consent. In a democracy policies are arrived at through persuasion and not by bloodshed; in the Gospel of Jesus Christ man's freedom is also respected.126 In short, Jesus' teachings on humility, mercy, love, forgiveness, freedom, and respect for the individual are all in harmony with the assumptions and spirit of democracy. 126These characteristics of democracy are formulated more fully in Myrdal, An American Dilemma, Harper Brothers, 1944, p. 8. SUMMARY The government in the Church is neither a pure theocracy nor a democracy. It is, we believe, a remarkable combination of the two in which men are called and inspired of God, but serve with the consent of the people and in the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord has given us leaders to guide us, but he has given us the privilege of accepting or rejecting them, and the responsibility of cooperating with those whom we do accept. One finds in the Latter-day Saint Church two attitudes which might on first acquaintance appear paradoxical. Members of the Church are loyal to their leaders. They pray for them continually, sustain them, and do their bidding voluntarily to a remarkable degree, at times even against their own judgment. The Church is highly centralized under authoritative leadership. On the other hand, there is also a strong individualism in the Church. Each member has had conferred upon him the Holy Ghost. He has as much right and responsibility to know that a prophet is speaking to him for God as that prophet has the right and responsibility to speak to him for God. Man is a free agent holding the priesthood of God, and is a co-worker with the leaders of the Church. The Church belongs to all members, as much to one as to another. We do not believe in infallibility in human leadership, not even in those who are called of God. Looking back through the pages of religious history, we find only one person without sin, namely the Savior. Even he had said to one who addressed him as "Good Master," "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Matthew 19:16, 17) Moses took the honor unto himself. Peter had to be rebuked by the Savior. Paul acknowledged that he was least worthy to be an apostle. Joseph Smith was strongly admonished by revelation to improve his ways. Obviously there is a good deal of the human element in human nature. And although men are called of God to speak for him as prophets and revelators, they are still men. They need the counsel and wisdom of one another, and their inspiration needs to be confirmed by the inspiration of those who follow their leadership. The Lord has placed, wisely indeed, the responsibility for his work upon the shoulders of all members of the Church. The leaders have the responsibility of taking initiative, of pointing out the way, of giving direction, of revealing God's will. The people have the obligation to follow righteous instruction, and to know, by the spirit of revelation, that their leaders are inspired of God, and are living worthy of their calling. This fusion of theocratic and democratic elements in Church government has served us well. Our Church is quite democratic in spirit and practice without the limitations of politics -- of nominating and electing officers. Our Church is theocratic, with leaders, speaking for God, but the final test of their right to speak is left with the people, who are privileged to accept or to reject them. There is no good reason why all the values of both systems of government -- theocracy and democracy -- cannot be enjoyed in the Church. This we have seen realized to a remarkable degree in our own experience in various divisions of the Church. The government of the Church is well constructed. When we, the members, carry in our hearts the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serve one another and all men in love, all goes well in the Church. We must not expect perfection in human relations; but we should strive earnestly to increase in genuine Christian fellowship. The purpose of the Church is to promote such growth. Paul's words to the Ephesians express very well the purpose and character of church government: "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. "This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: "Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. "But ye have not so learned Christ; "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;" (Ephesians 4:11-23) PART 7 SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINT WAY OF LIFE (Comprising Chapters 34 to 40) CHAPTER 34 RESPECT FOR THE BODY To Latter-day Saints religion is not just one aspect of life -- something to think about while attending Church services, something to celebrate at Easter or on Christmas, one's faith in life beyond the grave, or an object of study, such as biology or history. Religion, if it is to have genuine meaning to us, must enter our minds and hearts and become part of our feeling, attitudes, and behavior in every aspect of life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ must make its power and beauty felt in the health of the body, the use of the mind, in family life, in human relations, in business, at the peace conference, while driving on the highway, and even in the creation and enjoyment of the arts. Religion in our view, is as much concerned with a person’s salvation in this life as it is with his salvation after death. True, this life is short compared with the eternity which lies ahead, but this life is precious because it is short and ought not to be spent save for the highest good. Moreover, as a Book of Mormon writer states, “… behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 34:32) If we do not learn to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ here and now, we shall be in no position to live it when we die. Therefore, we shall not be capable of enjoying a celestial life with God and Christ. We shall not feel at home with them. In a revelation to Joseph Smith the Savior gave this teaching: "Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created. "Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual." (D&C 29:34, 35) All aspects of life, in the view of God, are spiritual. All of the laws of God are designed for the good of the whole man in his life here and hereafter. In the view of God, man is an eternal being and his child. Our Father is interested in our total and eternal welfare, just as an earthly parent is concerned with every phase of his child’s well-being throughout his entire life. In this and the next few chapters, we shall present the teaching and practice of the Latter-day Saints in various phases of life here and now. We shall be concerned with Latter-day Saint living. We begin with a consideration of the body. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE BODY The body, with its strong appetites and drives, is a problem to man as well as a source of satisfaction. Throughout history religious people in particular have found much conflict in reconciling the desires of the flesh with the aspirations of the spirit. A common solution has been and still is the practice of asceticism. Asceticism means, in religious experience, a strict form of self-denial and self-discipline practiced as a means of subduing the body in the interest of a higher spiritual ideal. In India asceticism has been followed with tenacity of purpose as a means of overcoming all desires pertaining to life, that man might become free from bodily attachment and thereby escape re-birth on earth. Devout Christians have likewise forsaken marriage and lived in convents and monasteries to subdue and control their bodily desires, that they might feel free and whole in their devotion to Deity. As Latter-day Saints we do not believe in, or practice, asceticism. We look upon the body not as evil, but as a wonderful instrument through which man may find joy and realize the purpose of life. We reject celibacy and believe in marriage for all people of normal health and intelligence. We believe that the good things of the earth, such as food and drink, are ordained of God for the use of man. “Men are, that they might have joy.” Our body can be an instrument leading to joy, if we understand it and know its true functions. As Latter-day Saints we do not believe in indulgence, the opposite extreme of asceticism. Man is more than physical; he is all intellectual, moral, social, aesthetic, and spiritual by nature. All of these phases of human life function as one. He must not seek to satisfy bodily needs in ways which destroy fine human relations, impair the good functioning of the mind, inhibit moral and spiritual growth, bring frustration and confusion into the life of man. The body is vitally important and is always with us. Its true needs are not to be denied, but man is more than body. He is a child of God; he is moral and spiritual by nature. The body must serve the larger needs of the spirit, with which it is inseparably linked in this life. The Apostle Paul recognized the unity and interdependence of mind and body in his admonition to the Corinthians. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17) "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. "And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20) THE WORD OF WISDOM In 1833, when the Church had been established less than three years, Joseph Smith received a revelation from God which pertains specifically to matters of health. It was given as a “Word of Wisdom” to the Saints, sent as a “greeting; not by commandment or constraint, … showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days.” (D&C 89:1, 2) This Word of Wisdom has become an important and unique part of the life of the Latter-day Saints and merits our consideration. This counsel from the Lord is given in a kindly and measured tone. It respects man’s freedom of choice, but in all kindness warns him of things which are good and are not good for his health and welfare in this life. Temporal means pertaining to time. This teaching is destined to save man from much evil and illness in this life. I. Things Not Good for Man The Word of Wisdom warns man against the use of three things: strong drinks, tobacco, and hot drinks. Note the language of this revelation. "Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation -- "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together to offer up your sacraments before him. "And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the grape of the vine, of your own make. "And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies. "And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill. "And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly." (D&C 89:4-9) From the beginning of Latter-day Saint history, hot drinks have been interpreted as meaning tea and coffee because of the stimulants which they contain that are not good for man. Under inspiration from God, Joseph Smith said not only that these things were not good for the body, but also foresaw that tobacco and strong drink in particular would be forced upon the children of men through high-powered and deceptive advertising by people with no higher motive than the desire to make money at the expense of the weaknesses of men. (See D&C 89:4) Latter-day Saints are encouraged to leave tobacco and alcoholic drinks alone in all of their forms. We have love and tolerance for men and women who use them, but we know they are not good for man. We abstain out of loyalty to God's will and for reasons of common sense and wisdom. II. Things Good for Man This same Word of Wisdom recommends things which are good for man: meat, grains, especially wheat, herbs (vegetables included), and fruit in the season thereof. Note the following: "And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man -- "Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. "Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; "And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine. "All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth; "And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger. "All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground -- "Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain." (D&C 89:10-17) Long before the science of nutrition had discovered minerals and vitamins and their role in the health of man, this inspired, religious statement recommended fruits, and herbs in season and also grain, especially wheat, which contains when used in its entirety, so many of the essential needs of the human body. III. "Given for a Principle" The Word of Wisdom is more than a set of rules defining things good and not good for man, such as we have indicated above. It was given for a principle; it is an outlook and a way of life. The principle of the Word of Wisdom might be stated as follows: All things good for man, let him enjoy with prudence and thanksgiving; from all things not good for man, let him abstain. Tobacco, strong drink, and hot drinks are important illustrations of things not good for man. A Latter-day Saint, who lives the Word of Wisdom in spirit and principle, will also strive to abstain from all things which he learns through science and through experience are not good for him, such as over- eating, eating of immoderate amounts of rich foods, slovenliness, worry, overwork, too little sleep, and various drugs and stimulants. Fruit, herbs, meat, and grain do not exhaust the things good for man. A Latter-day Saint, wishing to live the Word of Wisdom "in spirit and truth," will also learn through research and experience what other things are good for him. He will also enjoy dairy products and nuts, play, exercise, work, relaxation, and sufficient sleep. He will cultivate a cheerful outlook on life and strive to live with faith, courage, and purpose -- trusting God and serving fellow men. He will free his life of covetousness, greed, and hate, and will live life with thanksgiving and good will. A passage from another revelation to Joseph Smith indicates the far-reaching meaning of our health- code: "See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires. "Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated. " And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace." (D&C 88:123-125) The Word of Wisdom means moderation, prudence, and thanksgiving in every aspect of life. It leaves room for common sense and insight and encourages initiative, freedom, and a wholesome positive outlook on life. The person who drives himself far beyond the point of fatigue does more than damage his body and lay himself open to a coronary occlusion or succumbing to infection; he often makes himself disagreeable company, particularly at home. He is likely impatient with his wife and children, causing ill-will and failing to contribute as he otherwise could to the personality-development of his family and associates. THE FRUITS OF THE WORD OF WISDOM The Word of Wisdom was given to the Saints for more than reasons of physical health. Even physical well-being cannot be maintained without good mental health. Life is one, a single unit. Spirit and body are interdependent. The well-being of each depends on the well-being of the other. This revelation was given for the "temporal salvation" of man. Temporal means not physical, but pertaining to time. It has reference therefore to man's total welfare in his present or mortal existence. For example, when one abstains from alcoholic beverages, it is good for his body; but it is good for his body; but it is even more important to the welfare of other motorists on the highway, the happiness of his wife and children, the best functioning of his mind, his full self-control, and his spiritual outlook on life. Drinking is habit-forming and may lead to drunkenness and alcoholism. These conditions destroy personality and wreak havoc in human relationships. To abstain from alcohol is a safeguard to one's well-being and to that of his family and to society. Again, let it be emphasized that we love the man who drinks. He is a child of God and may well possess Christian virtues superior to those of some of us who do not use alcohol. Nevertheless, we know no man who would not be better off in matters of health, economics, and living up to his full capacity as a human being if he would accept the simple statement from the Lord and abide it: "That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, behold it is not good." The promises to one who will live the principle of the Word of Wisdom are health to body and mind, moral strength, increased spirituality, and finer and more considerate human relationships. The revelation itself concludes with these words: "And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; "And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; "And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. "And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen." (D&C 89:18-21) CHAPTER 35 THE CULTIVATION OF THE MIND Religion is associated with a number of things, with faith, humility, love, ritual, fellowship, beauty, and mystery. Seldom in our day is it associated in the minds of people with knowledge. For them, religion, means hope, faith, love, and grace. It appeals to feeling, to the affective side of human nature. For Latter-day Saints, knowledge, as well as feeling, plays a large role in the religious life. Religion, to us, means faith, love, and fellowship; it also means a search for truth, knowledge, and wisdom. We bring to religion our hearts and also our minds. We wish the light of reason to guide us, as well as the torch of faith. This point of view may come as a surprise to our friends, who associate "Mormonism" with its unusual beginning in heavenly manifestations to its first prophet, Joseph Smith. To them, our religion may appear to rest wholly on faith, if not on simple credulity. On closer acquaintance with our religion, however, the reader will discover what an important role the desire and search for knowledge played in the founding of the Latter-day Saint. Mormonism, so-called, began in a boy's mind, in his desire to know, in his need to have a simple question answered. Living in New York state, in 1820, at a time when a number of Christian denominations in his community were bidding for his interest and membership, he became confused. Hearing varied interpretations of the Bible, he realized that contradictory positions on the same subject could not be true. In this frame of mind, and earnestly desiring to know which Church he should join, he one day read from the Book of James, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering: for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driving with the wind and tossed." (James 1:5-7) His desire to know was coupled with an unwavering faith. With mind and feeling intent and unified in a search for truth, the young man, Joseph Smith, resolved to act upon the advice of James. On the morning of a beautiful spring day, he entered a grove of trees not far from his home. There, in the solitude provided by nature, he opened his mind and heart to his Father in heaven. God answered his prayer by appearing to him with Jesus Christ, his Son. They spoke to the boy, and the boy spoke to them. He asked a question; he wanted to know which church he was to join. This was a simple, a needed, and a perfectly reasonable question to ask. Joseph simply wished to know where the truth lay in the midst of conflicting opinion regarding religion. He had the faith to turn to God, the ultimate source of truth, to find the answer. His inquiry was answered. This great vision was the beginning of the restoration of the pristine Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ in their true and original character. The Latter-day Saint movement continued to develop as it had begun. The Prophet Joseph continued his search for truth. The "lack of wisdom" raised questions; his questions became prayers; and his prayers were answered through revelation from Deity. Many of the revelations themselves encourage and admonish us to learn, to search out the truth of things. In the establishment of the Church and in the restoration of the Gospel, there was little conflict between faith and knowledge. Each played an essential part. Lack of wisdom encouraged faith; faith led to knowledge; and new knowledge awakened the need of more faith. ADMONITIONS TO LEARN Latter-day Saints, from the beginning of their history until this day, have been inspired by the Prophet Joseph Smith's thirst for knowledge. And many of us can think of no more inspiring symbol of the spirit of our faith than the picture of Joseph Smith kneeling in the grove on a beautiful spring morning looking heavenward, praying for knowledge. Not only did he receive answers to his questions, but admonition to continue to seek for more knowledge, both through study and faith. The Book of Mormon warns against arrogance based on supposed learning, but praises learning that is coupled with humility before God: "O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish. "But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God." (2 Nephi 9:28, 29) When the Church was in its infancy, its leaders were told by revelation to establish a school of the prophets where they could prepare themselves through faith and study to do the work of the ministry. "And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. "Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God, that are expedient for you to understand; "Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are on the land; and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms -- "That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you." (D&C 88:77-80) "And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith. "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;" (D&C 88:118- 119) In the remainder of this revelation, there is a balanced emphasis placed on things of the mind and things of the heart. Great religion was to consist of learning and of faith, of wisdom and of love. "THE GLORY OF GOD IS INTELLIGENCE" In another revelation to the Prophet, Joseph Smith, we read, "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth."127 God is known for his attributes of justice and mercy, impartiality and love, as Revelator and Creator, as Lord and Father: All of these are true and appropriate appellations, but we also like and are inspired by the oft-quoted phrase -- "The glory of God is intelligence." 127Doctrine and Covenants 93:36. This statement places a special value on knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom in the religious life. Man, a child of God, created in his image, ought also to know the glory of intelligence, for it is also man's glory. WHY KNOWLEDGE IS IMPORTANT We live in a world and a universe of law and order. There are the laws of nature. As we learn of them, through everyday experience and through science, and conform our lives to them, we are able to fulfill many of our desires and purposes. Knowledge is a prerequisite to freedom. As we learn the cause of disease, we gain the power to overcome it. There are also laws which govern human relations. Human nature has certain needs. When these needs are understood and fulfilled, there is a wholesome growth in the personality of the individual and harmonious and fruitful relations between people. One of these needs is a feeling of being wanted or loved. When we understand this and learn to love, life is immeasurably enriched. The principles which Jesus taught, and which other prophets have taught, such as sincerity, humility, justice, mercy, repentance, forgiveness, and love, are principles of life as essential to the growth of personality as soil, sunshine, and water are to the growth of a seed. The religious life consists of more than belief, more than faith. Belief must become alive in faith, and faith must lead to knowledge, a knowledge of the very laws of character-development. The Christian religion is more than faith; it is also knowledge. We are not Christians unless we know what love is and realize its meaning in a measure in our lives. The importance of knowledge is given pointed emphasis in revelations to Joseph Smith. "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift. "And again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by law is also preserved by law and perfected and sanctified by the same. "That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore, they must remain filthy still. "All kingdoms have a law given; "And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom. "And unto every kingdom is given a law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also and conditions. "All beings who abide not in those conditions are not justified. "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; mercy hath compassion on mercy and claimeth her own; justice continueth its course and claimeth its own; judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne and governeth and executeth all things." (D&C 88:33-40) "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated -- "And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:20, 21) If we wish to enjoy health, we must learn the laws of health and lend obedience to them. If we wish to return safely from a journey on the highway, we must obey the laws of safe driving, and also keep an "eagle eye" on those who don't observe these laws. If we wish to achieve a happy family life, we must learn and practice the principles of fine inter-personal relations on which family life is based. If we wish to gain the celestial kingdom of God, we must learn to live by celestial principles taught in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the greatest of which is love. THE DOOR IS OPEN Joseph Smith never closed the door to knowledge, or truth, or to anything "praiseworthy or of good report." Religion, as it was given to him, was to be an everflowing stream, with God as its source, from which man could drink again and again. The fixed and final creeds of the Christendom of Joseph's day, he was told, were an abomination in the sight of God. How could the things of God be known fully and finally by man? Had not Isaiah said for the Lord long ago: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8, 9) As Latter-day Saints, we have many fundamental beliefs, but we have no final, fixed, complete, and codified creed. We realize that there is much we don't know in religion as in every walk of life. We believe in eternal progression and in continuous revelation. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." (Articles of Faith 1:9) In 1843, in the city of Nauvoo, Illinois, Joseph Smith was asked by an attorney named Butterfield, about the difference between his faith and that of other Christians. The Prophet might have singled out a number of individual differences, but instead he stated this general and vital difference: "The most prominent difference is this: Sectarians all are circumscribed by a peculiar creed, which deprives them of the privilege of believing anything not contained therein. The Latter-day Saints, on the contrary, have no creed, but stand ready to believe all true principles that exist, as they are made manifest from time to time."128 128Quoted from John Henry Evans, Joseph Smith, An American Prophet, Macmillan Co. p. 172. About this same time he set forth a brief statement of Thirteen Articles of Faith. They were not intended as a complete creed. And the last of these illustrates the vital spirit of seeking more truth in "Mormonism," only from God directly, but from all sources which have it. How appropriate that this last Article of Faith, written towards the close of his youthful mission, should carry the same spirit as the story of his first search for truth. In the beginning Joseph Smith turned to God because he was aware of his "lack of wisdom." Twenty-three years later, and after having received many revelations from God, still he could say, "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul -- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." (Articles of Faith 1:13) RESULTS Several important results have followed in the culture of the Latter-day Saints because of this rational basis of our faith. They can only be suggested here. 1. Our people have believed in and sought after education. In 1833, when the Saints were a few hundred in number, struggling to establish themselves in Kirtland, Ohio, a "school of the prophets" was established by revelation. Therein unlettered leaders studied German, Hebrew, and other subjects under trained and paid non-Mormon scholars. The first temple built by Latter-day Saints was at Kirtland, and it was planned as a house of learning as well as a house of worship.129 129See D&C 88. In 1840, soon after the Saints established themselves at Nauvoo, Illinois, they provided for a university. And, no sooner had they secured their bare necessities with a few crops in the Salt Lake Valley, than they established, in 1850, the University of Deseret. Enterprising Latter-day Saint pioneers brought books West and founded private schools.130 Between 1875 and 1911, twenty-two academies were established, dotting the landscape of Western United States from Old Mexico to Canada. All of these except three have, in time, given way to public high schools and universities.131 130Little support was given to public schools among the Latter-day Saints in the West in the first decades of their history. 131Brigham Young University, Ricks College, and Juarez Academy. 2. Our people have pioneered in the field of religious education in conjunction with public education. Beginning in 1912, seminaries have been established adjacent to public high schools. Latter-day Saint students, with the permission of parents, go on released time one period a day and study the Bible and their own Church history and doctrine. In some areas, where released time is not available, many students attend a class in religion at an early hour before school begins. In 1959 there were 138 released-time seminaries and approximately 630 non released-time seminaries wherein over 51,000 high school students received religious instruction on each school day. On the college level the same purpose is served by institutes of religion. College students study their religion, attend Church services, receive counsel, and find a wholesome social life in Church-established institutes adjacent to more than a score of colleges and universities, which are attended by a considerable number of Latter-day Saints. In 1959 there were twenty-five full time and thirty-six part-time Institutes of Religion in which 7,822 students received religious instruction. In recent years the educational program at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, has been greatly enlarged. Other colleges are being established throughout the Latter-day Saint centers. New colleges have been established in Hawaii and New Zealand. 3. Latter-day Saints have been inspired by the principles and educational philosophy of the Church to gain an education. Utah has been known for decades for the high percentage of its youth in high school and college. Latter-day Saints have more than their proportionate share of educators and men of science and letters in the United States. These facts are not written in the spirit of boasting, but out of gratitude to a faith which inspires people to cultivate the mind as well as the heart. CONCLUSION Our emphasis on knowledge and our pursuit of learning, both in secular and religious fields, have been great blessings to Latter-day Saints. They have kept religion intimately related to all wholesome aspects of life. As stated in the beginning of this chapter, our religion is not limited to certain areas of life, such as faith and love or the hereafter. We want our religion to penetrate every phase of life: health, economic well-being, human relations, marriage, family life, the arts. To do this effectively, religion must include the use of the mind, the search for and application of knowledge from all sources. The rational emphasis in our religion sometimes also creates difficulties. Every Latter-day Saint tries to understand his religion. Great numbers also teach one another. Since all of us are not equally inspired on all occasions, and since people are individual in their capacity and background, there are bound to be some differences of interpretation, particularly when we get away from the simple fundamentals of our faith. There were differences of emphasis even among the apostles of old. Each had his own style, special interest and emphasis, as is evident when one reads, for example, the words of Peter and Paul, James and John. Yet these men all had faith in Christ, in his divine mission, in the first principles of the Gospel. In the Latter-day Saint Church, where we are all studying the Gospel and teaching it, we need to be tolerant of one another, humble and careful in our interpretations, heedful of the scriptures and the word of the living prophets of God. We need to remember, too, that religion is not the only approach to truth or to an understanding of life. Life is exceedingly complex, intricate, and far beyond man's ability to comprehend. We need to look at it from all sides: through the eyes of the scientist, the artist, the poet, the philosopher, simple folk of common sense, and the prophet. No one of these can give us a full view of life. Life would be much poorer indeed were it not for the labors of each of them: of Pasteur and Newton, Beethoven and Leonardo De Vinci, Shakespeare and Goethe, Socrates and Plato, mother and father, Amos and Jesus. Religion gives us the most important truths of life, our knowledge of God, of Christ, and of the meaning, destiny, and worth of human life and how it should be spent. Science, art, philosophy, and the wisdom of everyday life can provide us with many tools and much motivation with which to realize our religious faith in a fruitful way. There will always be some conflict and some measure of disagreement among the various intellectual disciplines of life. That is as natural as the differences which arise everywhere in life. It is our faith that if we are humble and will keep the door of religion open to more revelation from God, and also to the truths and beauties he has inspired through the scientist and the artist, the truth and value of the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be increasingly established among men. As Latter-day Saints we wish to walk with humility and to "seek learning even by study and also by faith." CHAPTER 36 MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE We read in the creation-story in Genesis, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. So the Lord created a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were naked; the man and his wife, and were not ashamed." (Genesis 2:18, 22-25) With this ancient account in Genesis, we are in full accord. God created man and woman to fulfill his purposes in the earth. He ordained that they should be one, declaring marriage to be the normal, healthful and desirable state of man. In a revelation to Joseph Smith, the Lord declares: "And again, verily I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of God unto man." (D&C 49:15) REASONS FOR MARRIAGE Marriage is good because it is one important and essential means through which one can realize the full measure of his creation. It is consistent with God's purpose in human life. Let us indicate briefly the functions of marriage as we understand them. I. Companionship "It is not good that the man (or the woman) should be alone." Man is a social being by nature. By himself he is not a complete human being. In the society of others, he develops his own personality, his speech, his ability to think, his moral and spiritual life. Man's greatest need beyond the physical necessities of life is to love and be loved, to be wanted and needed, to feel that he belongs to other human beings. Marriage affords two people the opportunity of knowing a continuous, intimate, and abiding companionship. Together each may feel the strength of two in meeting the vicissitudes that normally occur in human experience. Man and woman complement each other. In a good marriage their basic needs, biological, social, moral, and spiritual, may be realized and their personalities in rich measure fulfilled. Men and women know this and marriage, despite its burdens and failures, remains, therefore, the desired state of normal adults. II. Children The other great value of marriage is children and family life. In the beginning man and woman were told to "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." (Genesis 1:28) Man, like the whole of organic creation, was made to be creative and productive, and life is not completely fulfilled in marriage except in child-bearing and in child-rearing. Marriage, to Latter-day Saints, includes a third partner in the relationship. Children born to us are also children of God. They belong to him because he created them his spirit-children in a pre-earth existence.132 The Creator, our Spiritual Father, designed life on the earth as being good for man, a step in eternal progression. Hence, in becoming parents, we are co-operating with God in bringing "to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." When we bear children and give them a rich opportunity to learn of God and his will and purpose in their lives, then we are fulfilling his wishes and contributing greatly to his plan. God wants us to have children and to teach them by precept and example Christian faith and ideals. 132Review Chapter 8. Latter-day Saint families are quite large on an average. The birth rate in the stakes of the Church in 1959 was 34.00 per 1000 against a death rate of 5.50 per 1000.133 The large size of families is encouraged by our faith that man's life on earth is part of God's creative plan. We have faith in life, in its potential value and goodness for those who will learn and do God's will. We believe in having large families provided: 1. that hereditary factors are favorable; 2. that in child-bearing and rearing we can preserve the physical and mental health of the mother, father, and the children; and 3. that we can obtain the means by which to provide for the necessities of life and health for our children. 133According to report given at the 129th Annual Conference in April, 1959. It is not our place to judge others who may disagree with this philosophy or in any way to cast reflection on parents with small families. No one knows all the circumstances of another. And everyone has a right to choose his own values as long as he does not jeopardize the equal rights of his fellow men. LATTER-DAY SAINT IDEALS OF MARRIAGE We believe in marriage, and we have teachings and practices which are designed to strengthen marriage and enrich family life. Let us consider some of these, which are either unique or receive great emphasis among Latter-day Saints. I. Marriage for Time and Eternity Latter-day Saints practice what is called temple marriage. We recognize civil marriages performed by the justice of the peace, or a minister, or a bishop. But we have another marriage, performed only in the temples of the Church, which we believe to be of greater meaning and worth. This we call temple marriage, or marriage for both time and eternity. In civil marriages a man and a woman are married "until death do you part." The couple may have feelings of "eternal" love in their hearts, but the very ceremony itself places a time limit on the duration of their marriage. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who knew such a rich life of love and companionship with Robert Browning, expressed a hope that their love might endure beyond the grave. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with the passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. (Sonnet XLIII) Elizabeth Barrett Browning would likely have rejoiced in the Latter-day Saints view of marriage. When we go to our temple to be married in sincerity and worthily, we are promised in the marriage ceremony that we shall be companions, husband and wife, throughout eternity. And this is not all! We are also promised that children who are born to us will belong to use everlastingly. These promises are, of course, contingent upon faithfulness to each other and to the ideals and purposes of the Gospel of Christ. The exact nature of marriage in life after death has not been revealed. We are told, however, that those who are married for time and eternity and live worthily shall receive a glory -- which means a joy and fullness of life -- beyond that attainable by the unmarried. In fact the married are promised the highest degree of glory or blessedness in the celestial kingdom of God. "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; "And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; "And if he does not, he cannot obtain it. "He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase." (D&C 131:1-4) The promise is made that they shall have eternal increase. In some way not revealed to man, those who are married will help God to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, even after death. There shall be no end to their kingdom and no end to their creative living in behalf of others. We believe that this temple marriage-ceremony through which man and woman are married for time and eternity, is a sacred and divine ordinance and is to be administered by those who hold the priesthood of God on behalf of those who believe in immortality and who desire in their marriage to live in harmony with Christian ideals. II. Values of Temple Marriage We have already indicated the value of temple marriage for the life to come. Faith in and preparation for temple marriage brings some immediate values to one's marriage here and now. 1. Thinking of marriage in an eternal perspective adds meaning and importance to the idea of marriage. It should make a person more careful and selective in his choice of a marriage partner. Eternal marriage is a serious undertaking, even more serious than a temporal marriage. Asking for a girl's love and pledging one's own love to her -- not for time only, but for all eternity -- certainly ought to enhance feelings of trust, admiration, and love between the couple. 2. Temple marriage gives added religious sanctity to this relationship. Temples are sacred edifices dedicated entirely to spiritual things. In Latter-day Saint temples, members of the Church renew their faith in God's creation and purpose in their lives and pledge themselves anew to devote themselves to their faith in Christ and to his work. Temple marriage is not an isolated event in one's life, but is an integral part of the entire purpose of temple work. Hence it is sanctified not only by the sacredness and inspiration of the setting, but also by the meaning of the entire temple ceremony which is participated in before the marriage ceremony. The marriage ceremony itself is richer in meaning and promise than ceremonies we know which limit marriage to this life. 3. Temple marriages are always between couples within the Church of Jesus Christ. Worthy and active membership is a prerequisite to gain admission to the temples of the Church. Many careful sociological studies show that people who marry within their own religious affiliation have a considerably greater chance for happiness than those who marry persons not of their faith. This is not because there are not wonderful people in every religious group; it is because religion is so intimately related to one's whole view of life and to one's values and attitudes. If these cannot be shared, marriage is limited; if religion is a source of conflict, it is most disruptive to marriage. 4. Temple marriages invite careful preparation. The man and woman prepare themselves in mind and heart to go to the House of the Lord. Each is interviewed by two men in the community, the bishop and the stake president. These two men are wise, experienced in human relations, spiritual in desire and purpose, and usually they are well acquainted with those to be married. Temple marriages, therefore, are not hasty marriages. Time is required to make arrangements. Counseling is certain to be given in all kindness and in a spirit that lends sanctity to the venture. Marriage is an act of faith. Faith is ever hopeful and idealistic in character. Great ventures in faith are enhanced by the idealism and trust born of religion. Temple marriage can bring the optimum of religious faith and sanctification to the sacred order of marriage. 5. A final value which we appreciate in temple marriage is the fact that one may go to the temple again and again to see friends and loved ones married in the same room in which one was once married. One thus relives his own marriage ceremony as he witnesses it given in behalf of those close to him. III. Prayer Latter-day Saints believe in personal and in family prayer. Children are taught to pray alone, to pray in secret each day and learn personal communion with our Father in heaven. We are also encouraged to pray daily as a family. This is difficult to do in this complex age of noise and haste, but it is all the more needed because of these characteristics of modern life. Family prayer is best achieved if it is begun the first night of marriage by the bride and groom and is continued. Thus little children become established in a fine tradition quite naturally and happily. When they are quite young, they take their turn in giving the prayer. Individually, members of a family gain strength through family prayers, and their feeling of unity is increased. IV. Home Evening About a half-century ago a fine tradition called "home evening" was begun among Latter-day Saints. A certain night of the week, Monday in our parent's household, was set aside for home evening. Everyone stayed home. Children helped plan the program. Father read from the scriptures, commented on their meaning and the children asked questions. Some evenings there were special treats in the nature of homemade ice cream, hot-cross buns, or some other tasty refreshment. The evening was closed with family prayer. Modern life, with its heavy and diversified schedule, plus the intrusion on the privacy of the home by telephone, radio, and television, have all but destroyed leisurely home life. The Church makes repeated efforts to renew this fine tradition of home evening. Sometimes it is called "family hour," which suggests the occasion may be celebrated equally well at times by going out together as a family. CHASTITY Latter-day Saints believe in chastity. They are taught that intimate relations between men and women are to be reserved exclusively for marriage. This, we know is the will of God. It is one of the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." The Savior reiterated the command, adding a spiritual and inward meaning to it in his Sermon on the Mount: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27, 28) "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8) In a revelation to Joseph Smith, dealing with moral standards, we are admonished again to be chaste: "Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else. "And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out. "Thou shalt not commit adultery; and he that committeth adultery, and repenteth not, shall be cast out. "But he that has committed adultery and repents with all his heart, and forsaketh it, and doeth it no more, thou shalt forgive; "But if he doeth it again, he shall not be forgiven, but shall be cast out." (D&C 42:22-26)134 134Read also Jacob 2 in the Book of Mormon. Reasons for this divine commandment are evident; some are more social and others more personal in character. Every child of God born into the world needs the loving care of a father and mother. The child's purpose in life can best be realized in the atmosphere of a good home. Since children are the fruit of intimate love, thoughtful and socially responsible persons will, for the sake of the children, wish to conceive and bear children only under the ideal conditions of marriage. Furthermore, every woman entering upon the creative, responsible, and often painful and difficult experiences of pregnancy and childbirth needs and merits the moral support and loving care of a husband. When we consider the welfare of both mother and child, marriage alone in our society provides a favorable setting for procreation. Chastity is just as desirable on personal grounds as it is for social reasons. Intimate love is not merely physical nor biological by nature, but involves the entire personality. It affects man's whole nature. Out of wedlock, a couple cannot be one. It is only in marriage that we promise "to love, honor, and cherish one another" in the presence of God and man. It is only in marriage that we can prove our complete devotion and loyalty to one another by living, working, and sacrificing together. Unchastity breeds distrust, fear, and contempt; it encourages unbridled passion and tends to make of another person a means to one's own selfish desire. Chastity develops self-control, trust, an attitude of reverence for personality, and frees the individual from the danger of sacrificing the total welfare of himself and others to a limited and selfish desire. There is no double standard of morality in the Church. Both men and women have the same need and responsibility to be chaste and pure of heart. SUMMARY We believe marriage is ordained of God for the good of man. A good marriage helps immeasurably to satisfy many of man's basic needs. We believe in children and in having large families if they are healthy and of good heredity. We believe in family prayer and in devoting evenings to family life. We believe in chastity before marriage and in complete loyalty and fidelity to one's companion after marriage. And we believe that if marriage is entered into with these ideals and is sealed by the priesthood of God and in his House, it will last for time and for eternity with unlimited promises of everlasting joy. CHAPTER 37 THE CHURCH AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT The Church, if it is to be an effective instrument for God in the life of men, cannot live unto itself alone. It must be concerned with every phase of human activity that affects the well-being of men. One of these is political life. The very existence of the Church and religious liberty depends upon conditions in the state. In this chapter we shall set forth some basic attitudes and practices of the Church of Jesus Christ toward political life and civil government. Early in the history of the Church, in 1835, a "Declaration of Belief regarding Governments and Laws in general" was drawn up by leaders thereof and adopted unanimously by the membership.135 The wisdom of this document has stood the test of time. We shall draw upon it freely to present the basic views of the Church on civil government. 135Doctrine and Covenants 134. It begins by declaring the Lord's concern with the political affairs of men. "We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society." (D&C 134:1) Civil rulers and officials have an obligation not only to their subjects or those whom they serve, but also to God who created man. They are amenable to him for the justice and mercy which they use or fail to use in the exercise of their authority over men. This point of view is wholly consistent with the teachings of the Hebrew prophets, such as Nathan, Elijah, Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many others, and also Book of Mormon writers. When officials act contrary to the basic moral principles of religion, they pit themselves against God and man and, in the long run, will come to no good end, but to judgment. A political office is a sacred trust in the eyes of faithful Latter-day Saints. SUSTAINING THE LAW Our Twelfth Article of Faith reads: "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." (AOF 1:12) This is the basic attitude and pattern which we take toward government and law. However, it needs qualification and this is made in the Doctrine and Covenants, where we read: (D&C 134:5) Governments that will not protect their citizens in "their free exercise of religious belief" and in other legitimate rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness consistent with due respect for the same rights for others do not merit our support. They are not instituted of God in any sense of the word. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE Religious freedom is a basic tenet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. "We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience." (D&C 134:4) It is the responsibility of the state to guarantee to its citizens their basic religious rights, such as freedom to meet together in worship in the faith of their choice. This cannot be fully accomplished unless church and state are separate. If church and state are one, political influence may easily be exercised over religion and one church may be favored over others. Therefore, separation of church and state is essential for the independence of religion from both state domination and the power of the dominant church over minority groups. "We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied." (D&C 134:9) DEMOCRACY -- THE IDEAL GOVERNMENT Latter-day Saints believe that democracy is the ideal form of political government. We respect other forms of government and encourage our members living thereunder to obey the laws of the land and sustain their rulers "while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments …" (D&C 134:5) However, democratic government is more consistent with the ideals and purposes of religion and life, we believe, than other forms of government. This is beautifully portrayed in advice given by King Mosiah in Book of Mormon history. Near the close of his righteous rule, the people clamored for a king to succeed him. His sons, who were heirs to the throne, preferred missionary work to political power and refused the kingdom. The people would have taken someone else in place of the sons of Mosiah, had not Mosiah dissuaded them. He gave reasons in some detail why it is not wise to be ruled by an individual. 1. In the first place man cannot be trusted with power over fellow man. He may be a person of integrity upon assuming office, but this is no guarantee that he will remain such in his new status of power. Wealth, authority, and the honors of men have a way of affecting a change of heart in many persons. Another Latter-day Saint scripture dealing with the subject of authority, states: "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion." (D&C 121:39) 2. A second problem in a government in which the supreme power is vested in an individual, such as a king or dictator, is the question of a successor. A king may reign in righteousness and be loved by the people, but who can guarantee that his son or successor will be like him in righteousness? The history of every kingdom on earth with which we are acquainted reveals the fact that no nation has enjoyed an unbroken line of able and just rulers. 3. Other evils of personal rule, of man governing man, are clearly stated by this good king. His words were written about 92 BC, and they are so sound in judgment that they described equally well what we have experienced in World War II and in many other periods of history. "And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood. "For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under his feet the commandments of God; "And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness. "And now behold I say unto you, it is not expedient that such abominations should come upon you." (Mosiah 29:21-24) Mosiah continues his counsel by advising that it is better to be governed by God, i.e. the laws of God, than by man "for the judgments of God are always just but the judgments of man are not always just." (verse 12) And to achieve this end, he recommends that people elect judges who will judge them according to the laws of God. Other judges may be elected who will check on the lower judges. Not only are people to be judged by people of their own choice, but they are to choose higher and lower judges who may check on each other's justice. Mosiah places his confidence in the will of the people: "Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law -- to do your business by the voice of the people." (Mosiah 29:26) There will likely always be individuals who cannot be trusted and minority groups that will pursue their own selfish ends at any price; but people at large can be trusted to desire that which is essentially right. And, if they don't, they will pay a price; they will learn from hard and bitter experience, more due to their own actions than because of a will imposed upon them. "And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land." (Mosiah 29:27) Mosiah continues in an appeal for democracy because it promotes greater equality among men -- equality of privileges and responsibilities: "And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land. "And many more things did king Mosiah write unto them, unfolding unto them all the trials and troubles of a righteous king, yea, all the travails of soul for their people, and also all the murmurings of the people to their king; and he explained it all unto them. "And he told them that these things ought not to be; but that the burden should come upon all the people, that every man might bear his part." (Mosiah 29:32-34) THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES The Constitution of the United States of America, adopted in 1789, became the supreme law of the land. The first amendment to the Constitution, in force since December 15, 1791, reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." This right to establish a religion, to assemble peaceably, and to exercise the right of worship freely made possible the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in New York on April 6, 1830. We believe that the Constitution was inspired of God to guarantee to men certain rights set forth therein. At a time in our history, in 1833, when the civil liberties of our people were not being safeguarded in the state of Missouri as they should have been, and our people were at the point of despair, they were admonished. "According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; "That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. "Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. "And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood." (D&C 101:77-80) We have a high regard for the Constitution of the United States of America. It has proved to be remarkably effective in maintaining a democratic form of government for over 166 years. In no country, to our knowledge, have people enjoyed as much freedom in the exercise of religion as in the United States. Our Church is not, however, an American Church. It is the Church of Jesus Christ and belongs to mankind even as he did and still does. Therefore, we believe that God is on the side of freedom and liberty among men everywhere. "It is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another"136 anywhere on the face of the earth. Men who exercise unrighteous and selfish dominion over their fellow men anywhere and at any time are enemies of God. Conversely, those who work and struggle to increase freedom among men are co- workers of Deity and will enjoy divine help and support. This is illustrated in a Book of Mormon account which equates the Spirit of God with the spirit of liberty. A Nephite judge, Pahoran, strong in his devotion to freedom and peace among men, wrote to his beloved compatriot, Moroni, encouraging him "… to conduct the war … according to the spirit of God, which is also the spirit of freedom which is in them." (Alma 61:15) 136Doctrine and Covenants 101:79. Democracy, based on constitutional law, is, we believe, that form of government best designed to show respect for the free agency of man and his basic and inalienable rights as a human being and as a child of God. In practice it falls short of the ideal, but we are willing to go along with it, assuming our full responsibility to help it succeed among men. OUR OBLIGATION TO THE STATE Earlier in this chapter we spoke of our obligation to obey, honor, and sustain the law while protected in our inalienable rights. There are other political obligations which an adult Latter-day Saint should assume. He is encouraged to vote intelligently whenever he has the privilege of exercising his franchise. He is likewise encouraged to take an active part in politics, to help choose good men to run for office, and to participate himself, as capacity and opportunity dictate. The Church favors no political party as such. Members are free, for example, to affiliate with either Democrats or Republicans in the United States. Members of the Church in both parties hold and have held high political office. In a conference of the Church, President David O. Mckay declared: "Twice, during the conference, reference has been made to the fact that we are approaching a general election, in which tension becomes high; sometimes feelings are engendered; often false reports are made; and innocent people are misjudged. "Recently we heard that in one meeting, for example, it was stated authoritatively by somebody that two members of the General Authorities said that the General Authorities of the Church had held a meeting and had decided to favor one of the leading political parties over the other, here in this state, particularly. "In Utah and surrounding states, contests for victory at the polls are being waged on national party lines. Regarding reports already received that the General Authorities of the Church have held a meeting and decided to wield their influence in favor of the candidates of one of these political parties, we will say: "This report is not true, and I take this opportunity here, publicly, to denounce such a report as without foundation in fact. "In the Church, there are members who favor the Democratic Party. There are other members who sincerely believe and advocate the principles and ideals of the Republican Party. The First Presidency, the Council of Twelve, and other officers who constitute the General Authorities of the Church, preside over members of both political parties. "The President of the Church, is not favoring in this election either political party. The welfare of all members of the Church is equally considered by the President, his Counselors, and the General Authorities. Both political parties will be treated impartially. "The Deseret News is the organ of the Church. It will be equally fair and impartial in the treatment of both political parties. This does not mean, however, that error will be condoned. Teachings and ideologies subversive to the fundamental principles of this great Republic, which are detrimental to the progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will be condemned, whether advocated by Republicans or Democrats. "We are all united in admonishing the members of the Church to register. We confirm the admonition already given from this pulpit regarding that important duty. We advocate the necessity of all members of the Church showing appreciation of your franchise, your citizenship, by voting, exercising your right to say who shall e your leaders. They become our servants. That is the spirit of the Constitution." (123rd Semi-Annual Conference Report, October 1952, pp. 129, 130) THE CHURCH -- A MORAL CRITIC There remains one other important function of the Church in political life which should be mentioned. We believe that the Church is in an ideal position to be a critic of all other social institutions. Inspired of God, guided by his teachings and Spirit, with an eternal, universal and moral view of life ever before them, Church leaders ought to do everything in their power to help men in all walks of life do what God requires of them. The Church has an obligation to keep before all men continuously the great religious and moral ideals of the Church of Jesus Christ, such as justice, mercy, freedom, human brotherhood, peace, and forgiveness. It has an obligation and right to condemn those practices in the body politic which are out of harmony with these ideals. This should be done with no reference to party politics. The Church should also carry out practical programs as the need dictates, through which it can promote and exemplify its faith and ideals. This the Latter-day Saint Church does in its welfare, educational, cultural, and recreational programs. SUMMARY We of the Latter-day Saint Church believe that civil governments are instituted of God for the good of man and that officials thereof are amenable to him as well as to men. We believe in honoring and sustaining the law. We believe that no man should be in bondage to another man. Therefore, a democratic form of government based on law is preferred over forms of government based on personal rule. This is true whether the democratic form is based on a written constitution, as in the United States, or on an unwritten constitution, as in Britain. We believe that separation of church and state promotes freedom of religion and worship and is, therefore, desirable. We believe that all adults should exercise their right to vote and participate intelligently in the affairs of state. The Church, without entering into party politics, encourages such participation. We believe that the Church of Christ should be a moral critic of man and other social institutions, keeping Christian ideals ever before us and evaluating life in terms of them. CHAPTER 38 THE CHURCH AND ECONOMIC LIFE The spiritual leaders of the Bible have warned mankind against the evil of loving riches more than God, fellow men, and ideals. Amos chastised the inhabitants of Samaria in the name of the Lord because they were "at ease in Zion." In fury he condemned, "That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall; "That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; "That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph." (Amos 6:4-6) The idle rich of his day had their hearts set upon riches, won by deceit and oppression, and were not concerned about the suffering and affliction of fellow-Israelites -- the orphan, the fatherless, and the poor descendants of Joseph. Jesus knew how men are tempted to sacrifice their integrity to gain this world's goods. On numerous occasions he tried to place the economic aspect of life in its proper place. "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? "Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36, 37) "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." (Luke 12:15) "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: "But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19- 21) The Apostle Paul pleaded for contentment and the pursuit of things of the Spirit: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. "And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. "For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. "But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:6-12) LATTER-DAY SAINT ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY Hardly had the Church of Jesus Christ been restored, when Joseph Smith received revelations through which the Saints were instructed to place spiritual values above economic values. They were encouraged to be equal in temporal affairs, helping and sustaining one another in their economic life. The following passages from the Doctrine and Covenants illustrate this fact: "And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practise virtue and holiness before me. "And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself. "For what man among you having twelve sons, and is no respecter of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith unto the one: Be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to the other: Be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there—and looketh upon his sons and saith I am just? "Behold, this I have given unto you as a parable, and it is even as I am. I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine." (D&C 38:24-27) "Nevertheless, in your temporal things you shall be equal, and this not grudgingly, otherwise the abundance of the manifestations of the Spirit shall be withheld." (D&C 70:14) "That you may be equal in the bonds of heavenly things, yea, and earthly things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. "For if ye are not equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly things;" (D&C 78:5-6) "Wo unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of judgment, and of indignation: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved! "Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men's goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!" (D&C 56:16, 17) The Book of Mormon is, in teaching and spirit, closely related to the point of view expressed in these passages from the Doctrine and Covenants. Time and again, writers of this ancient record warned their people against pride based on economic well-being and encouraged generosity toward those in need.137 137The Church has never been opposed to wealth, if it is obtained honestly and used for the good of others. Note Jacob 2:16-19.) "And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully. "And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they. "And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you. "O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with one glance of his eye he can smite you to the dust! "O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination. And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls! "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you. "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. "And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good -- to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted." (Jacob 2:12-19) "And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should impart of their substance, every one according to that which he had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly; and of him that had but little, but little should be required; and to him that had not should be given. "And thus they should impart of their substance of their own free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul. "And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their wants." (Mosiah 18:27-29) The entire Book of Mormon story is an illustration to Latter-day Saints of the evil of placing economic interests above human and spiritual concerns. The Book relates gain and again how righteous living brought prosperity, which in turn, developed pride, which brought on strife and conflict, which led to war, destruction, and poverty. As early as 1831, when the Church was in its second year, an effort was made to establish an economic order which would enable the Saints to place spiritual and human values above material interests. It was called the Law of Consecration, or a System of Stewardships. THE LAW OF CONSECRATION This new socio-economic order was to operate somewhat as follows: Its basic assumption was that the earth is the Lord's and men are but stewards of his property. Upon accepting the law, a man consecrated by deed everything he possessed to the Lord, that is, to his representative, the bishop of the Church. The bishop in turn deeded back to him property and goods sufficient to fill his needs, depending on the size of his family, his wants, needs, and circumstances. At harvest time he was to keep what was needed and turn the surplus over to the bishop to give to the needy and afflicted and also for the common good, such as public buildings, and welfare. Otherwise business operations were to proceed under a free enterprise system.138 138The reader will note that this plan is neither communistic nor socialistic as these systems are known in history, but something different from both. The basic philosophy of the Law of Consecration was to make men more united and more equal in temporal things that they might be one in spiritual things. At the outset men gave all they possessed and received in return according to their need and the common lot of men. The giving of surplus to the Church was to prevent the accumulation of wealth and to keep people equal, and organized to help one another in their hour of need. This was long before social security or any other similar government program was in practice. The Law of Consecration established in Jackson County, Missouri did not function long, roughly from 1831 to 1834. The causes of failure were several: Members of the Church were persecuted and driven out of the state of Missouri; land was cheap and rewarding to the enterprising pioneer; the brethren who administered the program lacked experience in economic planning and administration. Finally, this ideal order was too much for their human nature. Our people were not capable of the high idealism which the plan presupposes. Political, economic, and human factors combined to make the plan unworkable at the time, but Latter-day Saints still take pride in the spiritual idealism which motivated the effort to live it. And the ideal of having economic interests serve spiritual ends has remained with us from that time until now. TITHING In 1838, the Law of Consecration, which had necessarily become inoperative as the Saints had been driven out of Jackson County, Missouri, to Far West in the same state, was replaced by the ancient law of tithing.139 Henceforth members of the Church were asked to give one-tenth of all their increase annually. This principle has been operative in the Church ever since, except for a brief period when the United Order was functioning in some settlements of the West. 139Note Genesis 14:20; Malachi 3:8-10; Doctrine and Covenants 119. Tithing is not a tax, but a voluntary contribution paid in private by the member of the Church to his bishop. Except for the bishop, no one in the ward knows whether a person is full, part, or non-tithe payer. Tithe paying is an affair between a wage earner and the Lord, with the bishop there as a father and counselor to represent the Lord. Tithing is interpreted as one-tenth of a man's income. To a farmer or business man this means, of course, one-tenth of his net income, not of his gross income. A person on salary, or a wage earner, who uses all of his income for personal and family living, pays ten percent of his salary or wages. Every wage earner, rich or poor, is asked to pay tithing, ten percent of his income. Tithing, in other words, is not a graduated-income offering, but is to be paid by everyone on the same percentage basis. Even the poor, and the widow give one-tenth of their meager income; but, if needed, they receive support from the Church. Boys and girls who earn money cutting lawns, and babysitting and in other ways are encouraged to remember the Lord and to give to him and his cause. The tithing, paid to the ward bishop, goes into the general funds of the Church under the direction of the First Presidency. Some of the funds are returned to the wards and stakes for building maintenance and construction; others remain at Church headquarters to be spent on general expenses of the Church, such as hospitals, education, missionary service, and temple work. To the non-members of the Church, and to some members as well, tithing appears often as a large demand upon a person's income, particularly in addition to income tax. Viewed from the point of economic self-interest, this is true. But from another point of view, tithe paying is a privilege and not a burden. "The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof." Faith in him, and a love for the good earth and its bounteous gifts to man, make it easy to return one-tenth to him and his work. Faith in the Church and the worthy causes which it fosters in one's own and family life, and in the lives of others, encourages tithe-paying. Then, too, we like the voluntary character of this principle. Tithing keeps the collection plate out of Church, thereby not detracting from worship. Tithing distributes wealth indirectly among Church members, being used to provide like services to all. Tithing has made the Church strong financially. The Latter-day Saint Church is well housed, has a fine educational and recreational program, is out of debt, and takes care of those in need. The payment of tithing develops faith, unselfishness, and loyalty in the tithe payer. It helps him to love God more than mammon. OTHER OFFERINGS The Latter-day Saint has many opportunities to give. Once a month, usually on the first Sunday, he fasts for two meals, if he is well, and gives his saving to the Church for the care of the worthy poor. In the winter of 1855-56 grasshoppers, a drought, and large numbers of immigrants combined to create a critical shortage of food in Utah for the early pioneers. The emergency was met through the establishment of a fast day as described by one of the leaders of that day, George A. Smith. "In all these times of scarcity measures were taken to supply those who were unable to furnish themselves. A fast day was proclaimed for the Church on the first Thursday of each month, and the food saved in that way distributed among the poor; and thousands of persons who had an abundance of bread put their families on rations, in order to save the same for those who could not otherwise obtain it. And so wise and liberal were the regulations during these periods of scarcity, incident upon settling the territory, that no one perished or even suffered materially for want of food, and all were remarkably healthy." (Roberts, A Comprehensive History of the Church, Vol. IV, pp. 109-110) The program has continued to this day. Latter-day Saints contribute to the Welfare Program, to ward buildings and budget funds, and to the support of missionaries in the field. No one is happy in the Church who does not have the spirit of giving because opportunities to give of one's means, time, and of oneself constantly confront the Latter-day Saint. OTHER ECONOMIC ENTERPRISES In the past century, as the necessity arose, the Church has been extremely flexible in venturing forth in various economic and social enterprises designed for both the material and spiritual blessing of its membership. Since most of these lie in the past, we shall mention them briefly here. I. The City of Zion In 1833, Joseph Smith communicated to his people in Missouri a plan for a city of Zion. This plan called for the establishment of communities one-mile square with public buildings in the center and farms and shops outside the cities. Everyone, farmer as well as city-folk, would live in the small city and enjoy the comforts and social values of community live. And those living in the cities would have large lots, live in single dwellings, enjoy wide streets, gardens, flowers, and fruit trees. This early community plan was designed to avoid the evils of both isolated rural life and those of the big city. There would be no loneliness and lack of community spirit on the one hand, and no slums, invitation to crime, and the cold impersonal character of big city life on the other. Mormon colonization throughout the West followed, in large measure, this original plan for Independence, Missouri. As a result, Latter-day Saints were pioneers in Community life as well as in conquering the desert. Latter- day Saints have, in their tradition, a strong sense of community, something which is disappearing too rapidly in the anonymity of city life and through the influx of mass-media of communication, such as the automobile, radio, and television. II. The United Order In 1874 Brigham Young introduced a modified form of the Law of Consecration, which is known as the United Order. In quite a number of communities people pooled their resources and had all economic assets in common. This enterprise lasted for a few years, decades in some communities, but was given up in favor of the free-enterprise system. III. Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution At a time when merchants in the pioneer territory of Utah were taking undue economic advantage of the Saints with monopolistic prices, the Church established a cooperative mercantile institution called Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution. A central store served as a wholesale purchasing and distributing center. In each ward in Salt Lake City, and in each sizable settlement throughout the territory, co-ops were established, owned by the people, which served as retail outlets and which brought merchandise at a reasonable price to the settlers. This system functioned well for decades in some communities, but was finally given up as the need diminished and as people failed to make the exceptional effort which cooperation requires. Other things have been tried. The Church as established businesses at a time when private capital was not available. Some of these still continue as Church-owned enterprises. An illustration is the manufacture of sugar from sugar beets. The Church bought the first machinery for the production of beet sugar from France and still owns the controlling interest in the Utah- Idaho Sugar Manufacturing Co. THE WELFARE PLAN The present economic enterprise of the Latter-day Saints of a church-wide character, which affects every member of the Church and requires a great output of planning, labor, and means, is called the Church Welfare Program. It was begun in 1936 under the inspired leadership of President Heber J. Grant. At the time, our people, like others in the United States and throughout much of the world, were weathering a severe depression. Our people were decreasing in some of the pioneer virtues of independence, self- reliance, and cooperation. In their place there began to develop a feeling of dependency on the government for support and a consequent loss of initiative and self-effort. After careful study and prayer, a plan was presented to the Church which has enjoyed continuous growth and expansion since. Some of the methods used in the plan have been experimental and have been discarded or improved, but the basic philosophy and purposes of the plan have remained essentially the same. The underlying goals of the plan might be stated as follows: A. The development of independence and self-reliance in each member of the Church, teaching and helping each person to take better care of himself and his family. B. The development of the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation among fellow- givers, teaching men to work together for those in need. C. The production of the necessities of life for the blessing of the poor, the needy and distressed. D. The building and maintaining of a functioning organization -- which is in truth the whole Church itself -- that is in a position to meet any emergency which may arise to one or all of its members. In these purposes we see a wedding of the material and spiritual need sof men, which is so characteristic of both Latter-day Saint doctrine and practice. A brief outline of the functioning of the Welfare Plan, by which these purposes are implemented, is something as follows: A general committee decides approximately how many people in the Church will need material goods and what those needs will be for the coming year. Then these necessities of life are allocated among the members of the Church to produce and place in storehouses to be distributed among the worthy needy or distressed of the Church upon the recommendation of the bishop. The organizational set-up is somewhat as follows (in a simplified form): General Committee Region Region Region Stake Stake Stake Stake Ward Ward Ward Ward Quorum Priesthood quorum Quorum Relief Society A certain allotment is given to each region to produce. A region consists of a number of stakes. The region in turn divides its allotment among its stakes to produce. Stakes own farms or factories in which they seek to meet their production quotas. The wards in each stake are called upon to produce their share of the stake-production quota. The bishops of the wards call upon the priesthood quorums and the Relief Society to produce labor, crops, and goods to meet ward-quotas. The aim of the whole program is to have the Saints produce what is needed for those in distress. As much as possible, money is eliminated from the operation. Those who receive help are encouraged and given opportunity to earn their support if they are able. Each family, quorum, ward, stake, and region, respectively, is encouraged to be as independent and self-reliant as possible, calling upon larger units in the program to help as needed. SUMMARY The Church Welfare Plan is a large program requiring a great deal of voluntary labor and cooperation given in the spirit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a practical expression of being "my brother's keeper." The Church is interested in the economic welfare of its people. It has a program through which it takes care of the needy of the Church. The Church places spiritual welfare above economic welfare, and invites its members to give voluntarily and generously to the work of the Church. A Latter-day Saint gives freely to the Church. The Church is in a strong economic position at the present time, able to undertake a large building, educational, welfare, and charity program. CHAPTER 39 A LATTER-DAY SAINT'S WORSHIP The ancient Psalmist wrote: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?" And his answer was: "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psalm 24:3, 4) The Prophet Micah, living about 740 BC, raised the same question and answered it in one of the greatest passages in the entire Old Testament: "Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?" And the conclusion of his answer was: "Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? "He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:6-8) Like the Psalmist and Micah, every individual and every religious group has the same question to ask, Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? How shall I worship God? As we review the history of religion, and as we observe the lives of religious people in their relationship to God, we find that there are two distinct ways of worshiping and serving God. Let us consider each of them. PRAYER AND CONTEMPLATION 1. Some people worship God in meditation and prayer. They have been likened unto a vessel, and empty vessel, one which may be filled by the Spirit of God. The classic example of this type of religious life is that of the mystic, found in the great religious tradition. He is not at home in this world of multiplicity and change, and longs to find his rest in God. Therefore, he flees the world of thought and sense and finds unity of life in his oneness with God. There are all degrees of mysticism and religious devotion of this character. Some persons have fled the world entirely, living as hermits or in isolated monasteries, some even not speaking to fellow men. Others remain in the world but find in religion a retreat from the usual affairs of men. Religion to them means essentially praying, meditating, reading the word of God, and worshiping through art and music. 2. There are other people who express their religion in action, by serving a good cause, by doing God's will. They have been likened unto a tool in God's hand.140 Their object is to accomplish God's purpose in life. They are men of action who serve as Scoutmasters, who visit the orphan, the sick and afflicted, and who raise money for the Red Cross or the Community Chest. The Zoroastrians of ancient Persia and the Puritan Father's of England and New England thought of themselves as tools more than as vessels of the Lord. 140"Vessels" and "tool" are terms coined by a great German sociologist, Max Weber. BALANCE The fullest religious life, the way to worship God in spirit and in truth and with all one's heart, is to be both a vessel and a tool of the Lord. This is illustrated in the life of Moses, who, you will remember, took off his shoes because he stood on holy ground before the Lord. However after communing with the Lord, Moses returned to his people to lead them out of Egypt. Repeatedly he would return unto Jehovah, receive of his word and his strength, that he might return again unto his backsliding people and lead them toward the promised land. In the life of Moses we observe both types of religious living, communion and action, alternating and supporting one another. The life of Jesus Christ gives us another beautiful example of the combining of worship and service in one. He began his ministry with forty days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, then "went about doing good" among the children of men. Weary of teaching and exhausted from healing the sick and afflicted and from his clashes with the Pharisees, he would leave his disciples and the multitude and seek his Father in heaven in the solitude of the hills. Renewed in purpose and strength, he returned again to feed his flock as a shepherd. Even on the cross there was a plea to his Father for relief, and likewise a plea for forgiveness of those who crucified him. Jesus had two supreme loyalties in life, to his Father and to men. They were not incompatible, but complementary, for he answered in the following words the question, "Which is the great commandment in the law?" "… Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. "This is the first and great commandment. "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40) LATTER-DAY SAINT WORSHIP Latter-day Saints are not extremists in worship. We see no point in a man's spending his whole life in contemplation of God, isolated from the arena where fellow men live and suffer and die. Nor do we call that life religious, admirable though it be in many respects, which is spent in doing good but which never returns to the fountain of spiritual life. In our humble way, we prefer to walk in the footsteps of Moses and Jesus, to gain peace and strength from our Maker for the purpose of serving his children. The other evening we talked with a Latter-day Saint man of seventy-eight years of age, who is well known for his vigorous championing of good causes among men. He looked young, alert, and thoroughly in love with life. Knowing of the rebuffs and tragedies which his many years and high idealism had brought to him, we asked him, "Brother -----, how do you keep young and optimistic?" His answer was simple and inspiring. He said, "I never worry nor fear. If fear enters my heart, I go to my room and shut the door and stay on my knees praying to my Father in heaven until the fear leaves me. Then I venture forth again." This man exemplifies the faith of the Latter-day Saints at its best. It is a life of both contemplation and action, of worship and service, and of spirituality which inspires morality. Believing in a personal, living God, we turn to him in gratitude and in adoration, feeling our need for his companionship. Believing that all men are his children, our brothers, we go from the house of prayer to our homes, factories, shops and offices, where we may express our faith by improving the life of man. Such is our ideal. This life of prayer and service is expressed well in the Book of Mormon. Here we are encouraged to worship the Lord in prayer: "Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls. "O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea, learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God. "Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." (Alma 37:34-37) After making such a strong appeal for prayer, the author adds the admonition that prayers need to be followed by Christian service. If not, they are vain and hypocritical. "And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need -- I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. "Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men." (Alma 34:28, 29) OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORSHIP A Latter-day Saint has innumerable opportunities for both worship and service in the Church. We shall describe some of the occasions for worship in the services of the Church. 1. The specific occasion for group worship in the Church is the sacrament meeting. Each Sunday, members of the Church are invited and encouraged to attend this meeting. The chief purpose of the occasion is to remember the Savior, his life, death, and teachings as we partake of the emblems of his suffering. It is a time to learn of his life and his will, and to pledge anew our faith in him and our determination to increase in our Christian discipleship. To achieve this end, besides partaking of the sacrament, we sing, pray, and hear sermons relative to our faith. These meetings are planned and conducted by members of the bishopric. They differ from the services of most denominations in that we have no professional ministry to lead the congregation in prayer or to give the sermon. The officer who conducts calls upon members of the Church to pray and speak. They are usually asked privately and given time to prepare, especially the talks. Music is furnished by talented people in the ward or Church community, or by a choir recruited from the membership, all of whom sing without remuneration. Except for the sacramental prayer and a few other prayers pertaining to the ordinance work of the Church, there are no set prayers among Latter-day Saints. Boys and girls, and men and women all pray as occasion demands, by voicing the sincere desires of the heart. Likewise, sermons are prepared by those who are called upon to speak. The bishop will know no more about their content in advance of delivery than the congregation. This wide and non-professional participation in Church services is not without its limitations. Some sermons are not particularly instructive and lack unity and purpose. Sometimes prayers also lack depth of feeling and meaning. On the other hand, marked sincerity and humility are nearly always present. Reliance is placed on the Spirit of the Lord, and when it is present great inspiration is forthcoming, though the speaker may not be trained in homiletics. Latter-day Saints, as they meet in Church services, are not so much a congregation as they are a community. They call each other "Brother and Sister." Almost everyone knows everyone else, since they usually live close by one another and have numerous and varied Church contacts. Since those who preside and speak are not "men of the cloth," but are their own neighbors, there is a friendliness and informality existing between preacher and hearer. These factors contribute to the friendliness and fellowship of Latter-day Saint meetings, but also detract at times from the spirit of reverence and devotion. Lack of reverence is further increased because parents are encouraged to bring their families to the sacrament meeting. It is difficult for young children to give attention during services which are not directed primarily to them. In many places there is a marked need for improving the reverence shown in the sacrament meeting. 2. The fast and testimony meeting takes place usually on the first Sunday of the month.141 The main purpose of this meeting is to renew our faith in Christ. This is done in part by members of the congregation voluntarily arising to their feet and giving expression to their gratitude and their faith. This bearing of one's testimony is as varied as is the character of the people who speak. On the whole, it is marked by simplicity and is void of extreme displays of emotion. 141For a review of the purpose of fast day, see Chapter 38. A testimony, we speak of here, is the feeling one has about the Gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ. It may be weak or strong, undeveloped or mature. Based on one's total life-experience it varies in some measure from person to person and from time to time in the life of the same individual. A Latter-day Saint says he has a real testimony of the Gospel when he has complete assurance or certitude that it is true, based on his whole experience and confirmed by the burning witness to his heart by the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost. He knows for himself, though he cannot prove it to another, that the Gospel is true. The bearing of testimony creates understanding and appreciation for each other among the Saints. One's faith strengthens his neighbor's faith, giving him new insights into the meaning of his religion. 3. In all of the meetings of the Church, in Priesthood meetings, in Sunday School, Relief Society, M.I.A., Primary, and in all manner of officers' and teachers' meetings, prayer is an integral part. However, the Sunday School, because it meets on the Sabbath day and because its basic purposes are to teach the Gospel and to develop reverence in the lives of men, women, and children, is in a particularly favorable position to lead people to worship. 4. Our temples are houses of worship dedicated in all holiness to the Lord. Services therein bring us to a deeper realization of our relationship to our Father in heaven and his Son, Jesus Christ. We go there to pay homage to the Most High and to dedicate our own lives to his purposes and service. CHAPTER 40 SALVATION AVAILABLE TO ALL Believing in the Fatherhood of God, and in his justice, impartiality, love, mercy, and goodness, it follows naturally that Latter-day Saints believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, "the power of God unto salvation," should be made available to all men. Jesus himself told his disciples, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15) Paul, speaking of our brotherhood in Christ, said, "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all." (Colossians 3:11) A beautiful and explicit passage in the Book of Mormon reveals the Savior's desire that all men should receive his salvation: "For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord God worketh not in darkness. "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation. "Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price. "Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay. "Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance. "Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden. "And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal; that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain; that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that they should not contend one with another; that they should not commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things; for whoso doeth them shall perish. "For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile." (2 Nephi 26:23-28, 32, 33) Jesus Christ is Lord of the living and of the dead, the judge of the quick and of the dead. This is the witness of scripture. When he was crucified, his own ministry continued among the dead. This is rather clearly indicated in the New Testament and has been affirmed through revelation in our time. When Jesus hung on the cross between two malefactors, one of them "… which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. "But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? "And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:39-43) That Jesus kept his word is indicated in another scripture which relates how he met Mary Magdalene on the first day of the week, on the third day following his crucifixion. She had come to the sepulchre and found it empty, and concluded that someone had taken his body away. Weeping, she turned to go when Jesus appeared to her and called her by name and she answered, "Master." Then the Savior said to her: "… Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:17) That Jesus preached to those who were dead is stated unequivocally in 1 Peter: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; "Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water." (1 Peter 3:18-20) "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." (1 Peter 4:6) Jesus, according to the Gospel of Luke, began his ministry by reading in the synagogue from Isaiah the following words: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18, 19) This activity characterized his earthly mission. We believe, with the author of Peter, that it also continued among the spirit-children of God in their intermediate state between death and the resurrection. LIFE BETWEEN DEATH AND THE RESURRECTION According to Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, when men die they "are taken home to that God who gave them life." There the righteous "are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."142 The spirits of the wicked, who have rejected the Lord, who chose to do evil and not good, will suffer the remorse and sorrow which accompany that kind of living. 142See Alma 40. It is our belief that the Gospel of Christ will be preached by Jesus and by his disciples unto those who have departed this life without having received it. In the mercy of God, they will be given opportunity to accept it, through faith and repentance, if they will. God and Christ are the judges of the living and of the dead. It is not their desire to condemn even the worse of mankind, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17) We can rest assured that God and Christ will do everything in their power to bring all of mankind to salvation and eternal life, for that is their work and glory. What cannot be accomplished in this life will be continued in the life to come until every child of God who has ever lived will have an equal opportunity to accept and to live the saving principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ lived and died for all men. He, like the Father, is no respecter of persons. HELL AND ETERNAL PUNISHMENT Those who will not accept the principles of righteousness, who have no faith unto repentance, and no man knoweth how many or who they might be, will suffer a spiritual death which is hell. This hell is not a place created nor imposed by God on men, where the damned eternally suffer, as depicted so vividly by Dante in his Divine Comedy. Hell is a condition of the soul, the natural fruit of a life which has cultivated evil and not good, a soul without light, a soul which has rejected not only God, but everything he represents. Hell is also a place, but it will be the condition of the soul that will make it hell. Our punishment for evil is called God's punishment because we have broken his laws, the laws of eternal life. According to a revelation to Joseph Smith, "endless torment" and "eternal damnation," when used in scripture, do not mean everlasting torment and damnation, but simply God's torment and damnation, or rather, the punishment which comes to us when we violate the laws of God. Prophets have sometimes used strong words to motivate repentance. Unfortunately, when they are interpreted by themselves, with no reference to the character of God and his purpose in human life, they easily distort the Gospel. In the restored Gospel, our faith is reaffirmed in a just but also a merciful God, who suffers when his children suffer, and whose glory is not to condemn but to save his children.143 143See Doctrine and Covenants 19:1-24 and Alma 12 and 13. There is a degree of salvation available to every man, unless it be the few sons of perdition, who having known by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, deny him. Jesus said of these that there is no forgiveness. "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. "And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (Matthew 12:31- 32) This is so, not because Deity is offended and has barred their way to salvation for all time, but rather because such men have placed themselves in such a condition, having sunk so low in moral and spiritual degradation "that they are dead as to the things pertaining unto righteousness." They themselves have lost all faith, all capacity to repent. The rest of mankind may, through faith and repentance, progress eternally toward a fulness of life restricted only by their own unwillingness and lack of capacity to realize their natures as children of God. In Latter-day Saint doctrine, there is no simple division of the fat eof men into heaven and hell. Every man will receive that measure of each which he has merited; he will spend his eternal life in a condition which he has earned. TEMPLE WORK Believing that many will accept Christ through faith and repentance after they leave this life, Latter-day Saints do vicarious work for the dead. In a single passage on the subject in the New Testament we read, in the words of Paul: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." (1 Corinthians 15:20) Paul's purpose in his letter was to establish the reality of the resurrection. In doing so, he made the above reference to their practice of baptizing for the dead. The same ordinances which are a meaningful part of the religious life of the living, such as baptism, confirmation, ordianation, and marriage, are performed in our temples for and in behalf of those who are dead. This is done in the faith that they, as well as the living, may hear the Gospel, accept it, and wish to participate vicariously in these ordinances which are performed on the earth. Thus, through vicarious temple work, all believers may be baptized as a witness of their repentance and faith in Christ. Every gift and blessing of the Gospel, which, through their ignorance, was denied men in mortality is thus made available to them in their immortal state. This is a giant task, gathering the names of people who have died without a knowledge of the Gospel and then doing vicarious work for them. It is an endless task as far as we can see now. To some it may appear futile and exceedingly time-consuming. Certainly, temple work is a work of love and service, offered to people who are free to accept or reject its meaning. It also makes the Gospel, with all of its gifts and blessings, available to everyone. SUMMARY In this chapter we have affirmed the Latter-day Saint faith in the Fatherhood and in the impartiality and mercy of God toward all his children. Consistent with that faith, we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be taught to all men everywhere, and that they should be given the choice of accepting or rejecting it. This privilege of hearign and of receiving the Gospel is extended even to the dead. Begun by the Savior himself, the preaching of the Gospel will continue until every child of God will have the opportunity to accept it. Our Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, have no interest in condemning man. Hell is a condition which men bring upon themselves. God's punishment is the natural consequence of ignoring God's laws and lasts only as long as men ignore them. Only those souls will be lost who have lost the desire and capacity to exercise faith unto repentance. All others will be saved in the mesure and to the degree that they are able to live the saving principles of eternal life. Ordinances essential to the full salvatin of men are performed vicariously in temples built and dedicated for this purpose. God is concerned that all men receive every opportunity available unto salvation. We believe that men are privileged and needed to assist God in his work among men. Latter-day Saints have the responsibility of so living and teaching the Gospel that all men, living and dead, may be moved to have faith in the Christian life. PART 8 THE ORIGIN AND POSITION OF THE CHURCH AMONG OTHER RELIGIONS OF MANKIND (Comprising Chapters 41 to 42) CHAPTER 41 THE RESTORATION OF THE GOSPEL AND CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST Christian denominations have had various origins, each highly complex, involving political, social, and personal, as well as religious factors. In order to understand more fully the origin of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it may be helpful to review briefly the beginnings of some other religious groups in Christendom. CHURCH BEGINNINGS 1. Some churches claim to be the true church of Jesus Christ by tracing their authority directly and continuously back to Christ through his apostles. This is the position of the Roman Catholic Church, which claims its authority through apostolic succession in a direct line from Christ to Peter through successive bishops and popes at Rome. The Greek Orthodox Church, which broke officially and finally with the Roman Church in 1054, also claims continuous authority through its bishops and patriarchs back to apostolic times. The Episcopal Church of England, which was separated from the Roman Catholic CHurch in the sixteenth century, like the Greek Catholic Church, also claims to be the true Christian church through an unbroken relationship to the bishops of the early Christian Church. The Latter-day Saints have no ties with these churches, which claim continuity through history with the Pristine Gospel and Church as taught by Jesus and his apostles. In fact, we believe that no Christian Church has retained continuity of authority and doctrine from apostolic times to the present. 2. A second and very large group of Christian denominations originated in protest against a mother-church. The classic examples of these churches are, as the name implies, the many Protestant churches such as Lutheranism, Calvanism, Zwingliism, and Methodism. These movements were begun by men of great courage and high devotion to what they believed to be the true Christian faith. Martin Luther, for example, was incensed over the gross materialism and the immoral practices pertaining to the sale of indulgences of the mother-church of which he was a priest. In the beginning, Luther had no quarrel with Catholic doctrine. The doctrinal and ecclesiastical changes in Lutheranism came after the Catholic Church had rejected his efforts to reform the moral life of the church. Certainly Christianity has known none more courageous in their fight for the right than such reformers as Wyclif, Huss and Martin Luther. We honor them for their courage and their accomplishment in bringing increased freedom of thought and a sense of personal responsibility into the lives of Christians. John Wesley, chief founder of Methodism, is another remarkable reformer in Christian history. While he and his brother Charles, sons and grandsons of pastors, were students at Oxford University in England, they were appalled at the lack of genuine religious devotion among their fellow students as well as in the Church of England generally. To correct this deficiency they organized a club wherein they cultivated earnestly prayer, Bible-reading, and participation in holy communion. They were called many things by their more worldly colleagues, but the word "Methodist" emerged as their final name. Latter-day Saints have tremendous respect for the founders of many Protestant faiths and recognize the values which they introduced into Christianity. However, we also recognize their limitations, chief of which is that they were trying to remodel an old house instead of clearing ground and building anew. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a Protestant faith. It did not originate in an effort to reform or remodel an existing Christian faith. Correctly speaking, the Church cannot be classified in either of the two best-known divisions of Christendom, Catholicism or Protestantism. 3. A number of Christian denominations have developed around a single dominant idea. One of these is the Anabaptist movement which began evan before the work of Martin Luther. The Unitarians, Christian Scientists, the attempted restoration of the New Testament Gospel by Alexander Campbell, are other faiths which grew largely out of a single doctrinal emphasis. The Latter-day Saint Church does not have a dominant doctrine or a single, all-pervading emphasis. The CHurch cannot be characterized by any one doctrinal interest. THE ORIGIN OF THE LATTER-DAY SAINT CHURCH As already indicated in a recent chapter,144 the Latter-day Saint movement had its beginning in a boy's search for truth. Joseph Smith, who was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont, moved with his father's family to Manchester, New York. In this community he came in contact with vigorous and confusing debate among the three dominant denominations of the community, Methodism, Presbyterianism, and the Baptist Church. 144Chapter 35. Joseph himself belonged to none of these religions. In his fifteenth year, he was too young to pass critical judgment on them. His was neither the interest of a scholar nor the zeal of a reformer. He simply wished to know which church was the true church of Christ, for it was clear to his unsophisticated view of life that contending and opposite viewpoints could not all be inspired of God. One day, while reading this passage from James 1:5, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask fo God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him," the realization came to him that he was in that very position. With child-like simplicity, he decided to ask God for help. Thus, he went directly to the source of religion, of life and truth, bypassing scholars, authorities, and even the ancient record of revelation, the Bible itself. He turned to his Maker even as Moses, Amos, Jeremiah, and Jesus had done before him. No one has told the story of the answer he received as well as he himself did in 1838, so we shall let him relate his experience in his own words: "Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, 'Lo, here!' and others, 'Lo, there!' Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist. "For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued -- priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions. "I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father's family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia. "During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong. "My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others. "In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it? "While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. "Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible. "At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to 'ask of God,' concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture. "So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally. "After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. "But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction -- not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being -- just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. "It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other -- This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him! "My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong) -- and which I should join. "I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.'" (JS-History 1:5-19) THE RESTORATION Joseph Smith was not the first to learn that Christian churches departed from the spirit, purpose, and teachings of the Pristine Gospel and CHurch of Jesus Christ. This was recognized by many men before him, such as Luther and Wesley. Joseph Smith was not the first person in Christian history who essayed to restore to the Gospel and Church its pristine character. Alexander Campbell, and others, were making an earnest effort to do so, even earlier than he. The Prophet Joseph's originality consisted in his direct approach to God on the subject. He went to him with a believing heart and with an open, intelligent mind uncluttered with preconceived ideas or with personal prejudice about religion. His was simply the desire to know, and he believed God would tell him. His simple prayer was answered with a revelation as remarkable as any recorded in holy writ. And herein lies the very heart and spirit of our religion. Jesus Christ spoke to the youthful seeker after wisdom and made known to him the need for the restoration of his Gospel and his Church. The idea of restoration came from Deity, though it was in response to a need to know on the part of man. In this religious experience, which Latter-day Saints call the first vision, Joseph learned that God lives, that Jesus is in his image, a separate and distinct person, and that revelation from Deity is as genuine and objectively real as it was once thought to have been in the lives of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the Apostle Paul. Step by step, from 1820 to 1844, the year of his death, the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ were restored from Deity through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith, who was called of God to do this work. When his work was finished, he had been the means, in the hands of God, of bringing to mankind the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, of bringing us back to the fundamental plan of life which God had prepared for man even before the latter came to earth to live. Here we shall indicate a few of the important steps in this restoration. THE BOOK OF MORMON MADE KNOWN After the boy Joseph received the vision of the Father and Son, he naturally wished to share the good news with others. His own father and mother believed him, but the first minister to whom he related this momentous experience treated it with contempt, telling him that revelation and visions had ceased with the ancient apostles. The next few eyars were trying ones for Joseph as he relates in his own story: "I soon found, however, that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase; and though I was an obscure boy, only between fourteen and fifteen years of age, and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no consequence in the world, yet men of high standing would take notice sufficient to excite the public mind against me, and create a bitter persecution; and this was common among all the sects -- all united to persecute me. "It caused me serious reflection then, and often has since, how very strange it was that an obscure boy, of a little over fourteen years of age, and one, too, who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a scanty maintenance by his daily labor, should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and it was often the cause of great sorrow to myself. "However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise. "So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." (JS-History 1:22-25) Nearly three and one-half years after this vision, Joseph was engaged in earnest prayer one evening upon his retirement to bed, asking for forgiveness of his youthful follies and for reassurance of his acceptance unto God, when he received another heavenly manifestation, which he describes in some detail and in straightforward simple language: "While I was thus in the act of calling upon God, I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor. "He had on a loose robe of most exquisite whiteness. It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen; nor do I believe that any earthly thing could be made to appear so exceedingly white and brilliant. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the wrist; so, also, were his feet naked, as were his legs, a little above the ankles. His head and neck were also bare. I could discover that he had no other clothing on but this robe, as it was open, so that I could see into his bosom. "Not only was his robe exceedingly white, but his whole person was glorious beyond description, and his countenance truly like lightning. The room was exceedingly light, but not so very bright as immediately around his person. When I first looked upon him, I was afraid; but the fear soon left me. "He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. "He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;" (JS-History 1:30-34) This heavenly messenger, Moroni, had lived upon the American Continent, the last survivor of a cultured and civilized people. He had buried the records of his people early in the Fifth Century AD. These had been inscribed over a period of many centuries on plates of gold by Moroni and his forebears. Moroni told Joseph Smith about his people and also of Joseph's forthcoming mission of bringing forth their record which he would be able to translate "by the gift and power of God." Moroni also explained to him the necessity of the restoration of the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ and that if he, Joseph, remained worthy and faithful, he would be an isntrument in the hands of God to bring about this restoration of all things. Moroni also quoted Old Testament passages and showed how these would also find fulfillment in the restoration. Joseph was approaching eighteen years of age when he received these instructions from Moroni. He was required to wait four years, during which time he matured and proved himselv and was instructed annually by Moroni, before he received the ancient record in September of 1827. By the spring of 1830 Joseph had completed and published this record, which is known today as the Book of Mormon.145 145For a description of its content, review Chapter 16. In the proces sof studying and translating this record, Joseph Smith and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, came upon many teachings which caused them to wonder and to question their own religious concepts. One of these questions had to do with the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins. The Book of Mormon was so explicit and different in its teaching on this subject from the teachings to which they were accustomed that they were determined to find out the truth concerning baptism. THE RESTORATION OF THE PRIESTHOOD By this time Joseph knew where to go to receive instruction on religious questions. His prayers had been answered before in accordance with his need and his righteous desire. On May 15, 1829, he and Oliver Cowdery went intot he woods to pray. The answer to their prayer we shall give in Joseph's own words: "We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying: "Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. "He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and that afterwards he should baptize me. "Accordingly we went and were baptized. I baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized me -- after which I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthood -- for so we were commanded. "The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us, and that I should be called the first Elder of the Church, and he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of this messenger, and baptized. "Immediately on our coming up out of the water after we had been baptized, we experienced great and glorious blessings from our Heavenly Father. No sooner had I baptized Oliver Cowdery, than the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and he stood up and prophesied many things which should shortly come to pass. And again, so soon as I had been baptized by him, I also had the spirit of prophecy, when, standing up, I prophesied concerning the rise of this Church, and many other things connected with the Church, and this generation of the children of men. We were filled with the Holy Ghost, and rejoiced in the God of our salvation." (JS-History 1:68-73) A short time afterwards, in the same year of 1829, Peter, James, and John appeared and gave to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood.146 With this priesthood came all the authority necessary to represent the Father and Son on the earth and to reestablish the Church of Jesus Christ with all of its gifts, powers, and blessings for mankind. 146Review Chapters 31 and 32 for a more detailed discussion on priesthood. See also Doctrine and Covenants 128. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH On April 6, 1830, in the house of Peter Whitmer, Sr., one of the men who had believed Joseph's story about the restoration of the priesthood and the translation of the Book of Mormon record, the Church was officially organized according to a commandment received of God and in compliance with the laws of New York. Six men, who had been previously baptized, were present.147 In a democratic and Christian spirit, they acknowledged their willingness to sustain Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery as their leaders and teachers and also to assume the responsibilities of discipleship in the Church of Christ. The men were baptized again and confirmed members of the Church, received the Holy Ghost and administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to one another. Great rejoicing and the outpouring of the influence of the Holy Ghost were present on this occasion. The reestablishment of the Church of Jesus Christ through the instrumentality of Joseph Smith was now an accomplished fact. These young men, under the leadership of the youthful prophet, set about to proclaim the good news to the world. The Book of Mormon was being published that same month. It contained many teachings of the Gospel as they were given by the Savior himself and by prophets who had lived on the American Continent. Other revelations could be received of God as needed to establish fully the true Gospel and CHurch of Jesus Christ. 147Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer, Jr., David Whitmer, Hyrum SMith, and Samuel H. Smith. SUMMARY In this chapter we have briefly retold the origin of the Latter-day Saint movement. We have noted it has no ties with those CHristian Churches that claim continuity through the ages with the Pristine Church. Neither is it a protest against a mother-church. Our Church began in a boy's desire to fidn the true Gospel and Church of Christ. In his quest he turned directly to God for an answer. The answer he received was as simple and direct as was his question. He was told to join no existing Christian Church, for none had the Gospel in its pristine purity or was endowed with the authority of God. It is no wodner tht such a bold assertion, though told in the language of a youth, was met with astonishment and ridicule by those whose faith it naturally discredited. It is no wonder either that Joseph SMith's story is heard with wonder and skepticism in our own sophisticated day, when people look askance at the miraculous, at heavenly visions, revelations, angels, and divine gifts of the spirit. This is not surprising. To us who have grown up in the Church, having heard the story from our earliest recollections of life, it seems natural and reasonable; to the adult who hears the story for the first time in his maturity, it cannot help but elicit wonder, astonishment, and often skepticism. On the one hand, it is astonishing. To our knowledge, no such story had been told since the New Testament times of Jesus, Peter, and Paul. On the other hand, the restoration of the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ, as told by the Prophet Joseph Smith, is as natural and reasonable as it is remarkable. What could be more natural than a boy's search for truth? What is more reasonable to those who believe in a living God, Creator of men, than to approach him in prayer? What is more natural than for a loving Father to make known his will to an earnest believing son? We shall turn, in our next chapter, to an explanation of the need for this restoration which took place through the Prophet Joseph Smith. CHAPTER 42 THE POSITION OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AMONG THE RELIGIONS OF MANKIND In the last chapter we reviewed the origin of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We noted that it belonged neither to the Catholic nor the Protestant tradition, but came into being as a result of Joseph Smith's direct inquiry of our Father in heaven. In response to the simple question, which church should he join, asked in sincerity and in the faith of youth, we believe that God, the Eternal Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in a heavenly manifestation in the spring of 1820. And Jesus Christ told him to join none of them, making it clear to the youth that the Gospel and Church of Christ in their true character and authority were not on the earth and that they would be restored again in due time. THE RESTORATION This concept of restoration is the key to an understanding of the nature and position of the Latter-day Saint Church. Beginning with this first vision in 1820 and continuing until his death in 1844, the youthful prophet was actively engaged in re-establishing the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ in their pristine character as we find them in the New Testament. Joseph Smith was not the only nor the first religious leader to think of reviving pristine Christianity. Many reformers had already tried to turn mankind back to the spirit and teachings of the Bible. Some, like Alexander Campbell, had set out systematically to restore primitive Christian teaching. But there are unique things about Joseph Smith's story of the restoration. According to his own account, written in 1838, he announced the forthcoming restoration to his family and others in his fifteenth year at the time of his first vision. This was done with no idea of how it was to take place, but with faith that Deity would bring it to pass. Moreover, he had no specific preparation for his forthcoming prophetic role, except his vital faith in prayer. And yet, from time to time, over a period of twenty-four years, "line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little,"148 the Gospel of Jesus Christ was revealed to him and the Church re-established. 1482 Nephi 28. When Joseph's life ended at the age of thirty-nine, the work of restoration had been accomplished with a remarkable completeness and thoroughness. There was nothing of consequence in the New Testament record by way of doctrine and Church practice which had not been re-established in this latter-day work. God, the Father, became again, not the abstract concept imbedded and shrouded in carefully-formulated creeds, but a Person as intimate and real as he had been to the Savior himself, as reflected in the Sermon on the Mount. He again was a God who revealed himself "to his servants the prophets."149 Joseph Smith became a prophet and spokesman for God, a living witness of the principle of continuous revelation which characterized God's relationship to man so continuously both in Old and New Testament times. In the restoration, man was raised to the dignity which he had formerly known both in the Hebrew and Christian scripture. Original sin and human depravity were done away with and in their place came again Jesus' high regard for the dignity of man, the worth of every individual as a child of God, and great emphasis on man's freedom and accompanying moral responsibility. This latter doctrine is given further emphasis in the Latter-day Saint teaching of salvation which reveals a fine balance between the grace of Deity and man's individual merit. 149See Amos 3:7. The Latter-day Saint Church reflects, we believe, this same completeness of restoration which characterizes the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The restored Church has essentially the same organization which existed in the Pristine Church, with apostles and prophets at the head, and with many other offices of the priesthood, all of whom are chosen from the rank and file of Church membership. Their authority is traced back by ordination, through revelation to the original disciples of Christ, John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John. The purpose of the restored Church is oriented toward the good of man, toward the development of Christian character and joy and happiness in human life, even as Jesus and Paul conceived it to be: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11) "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:" (Ephesians 4:11-13) In the restored Church we have a missionary system consistent with missionary work revealed in the New Testament record. The basic ordinances and sacraments of the Church are characterized by pristine simplicity. Much that is vital in the Old Testament also became in integral part of the restored Gospel and Church. The idea of a covenant people is strong in Latter-day Saint doctrine. The Book of Mormon adds rich meaning to the story of ancient Israel, to her mission among the children of men. When Joseph Smith's prophetic mission came to a close, the story was not ended; the book was not closed; the Church was left with the principle of continuous revelation and with living prophets to receive and proclaim it. "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." Articles of Faith 1:9) As though this were not enough, our legacy from Joseph Smith also includes a resolution stating: "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."150 150Article of Faith 1:13. Finally, what is the most important about the Latter-day Saint view of restoration is this: it was not Joseph Smith's idea in the first place. In the Prophet's first vision, the Father pointed to the Son and said, "This is my beloved Son. Hear Him!"151 And the Savior, through revelation, directed the restoration of his Gospel, his authority, and his Church. The restoration was the work of Deity, not of Joseph Smith, though the latter and other men played a necessary and important part in it. 151Joseph Smith-History 1:17. IMPLICATIONS OF THE RESTORATION The Latter-day Saint faith in the restoration of the Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ carries with it some important implications. The first is that the true Christian religion is divine, a product of revelation from Deity. This means that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not just anything which any man or any body of believers wish it to be; it is not the total of everything said, written, and done in the name of Christ from the beginning. It is the fruit of revelation and has come to us through Christ and men called of him and endowed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Christ, we believe, is not the author of confusion and contradiction. The Gospels reveal his divine Sonship, the brilliance of his mind, and the unity of his teaching. The Holy Ghost was sent to bear witness of Christ and to lead men to truth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan of Deity which existed in the minds of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost long before man was born on the earth. The Christian religion, as taught in the New Testament and in other scriptures of the restored Church, is not of man, but of God. We affirm the words of Paul, "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:11, 12) This recognition of the Gospel fo Jesus Christ as a divine plan revealed of God does not eliminate men's part in religion. The word of God comes to men "in their weakness, after the manner of their language, that they might come to an understanding."152 Men do not have a perfect understanding of the plan of God; men do not have a full understanding of any doctrine or principle of religion. We do not know all about God, Christ, the nature of man, of faith, or of love. This fact should be self-evident. Still we believe that enough is known to our finite minds that our understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, limited though it be, ought not to be characterized by contradictions or by principles and practices foreign to its fundamental character. 152See Doctrine and Covenants 1:24-28 and review Chapter 13. We believe that the Church of Jesus Christ cannot be just anything men wish it to be. We believe that it is reasonable to assume that a church which has the work of Christ to do would have his authorization, his guidance, and characteristics consistent with his Gospel and purpose. W e look upon the Church as Christ's Church, with him at the head, entrusted to men as an important means of bringing them salvation and eternal life. FURTHER IMPLICATIONS In making the above assertions, we are not unaware of the implications which they imply, both to ourselves and to others. If the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught by him and by men called of him in the First Century AD, is a divine and definite plan of life, then men have no right to fashion it after their own reasoning without revelation from God. The restoration of the Gospel and Church in the Nineteenth Century implies that this had been done in Christian history. Men had made, we believe, fundamental changes in the doctrines, purposes, and practices of the Pristine Gospel and Church. There had been an apostasy, or a falling away from the true character of Christ's teachings in the centuries which followed the Apostolic age. Well-meaning and inspired reformers, who recognized this fact, and who sometimes made important changes in the direction of truth, failed to restore the original Gospel and Church. Joseph Smith, we believe, was called of God to effect a full restoration. This is a bold and strong assertion, but it follows logically from the experience of the Prophet. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established by Jesus Christ himself, endowed with divine authority,a nd given the responsibility of bringing to mankind a knowledge of and the gifts and blessings of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the position of the Church which we profess in humility and with a sense of grave responsibility. The position of the Latter-day Saint Church is not complimentary to other Churches. They, too, like to feel that they represent Christ and do his work and present his teaching. We can readily appreciate how the special claim of our Church to divine authority and to a direct linkage with the Pristine Church may be taken as an effrontery by our Christian neighbors of other faiths. To mediate this feeling, further explanation is needed. I. Latter-day Saints have no monopoly on truth. We recognize that God is the Father of all men and that he is impartial in his interest and love toward them. Our own Book of Mormon acknowledges that men of all nations and tongues are inspired of God according to their desire, their capacity to receive his inspiration, and the circumstances under which they live. "For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true." (Alma 29:8) "Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?" (2 Nephi 29:7) Moreover, our Thirteenth Article of Faith, which we have quoted several times in this study, and which says, "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things," clearly implies our own limitations and our need and desire to learn from others who possess these things, often in richer abundance than we. John Taylor, a former President of the CHurch, said: "In regard to our religion, I will say that it embraces every principle of truth and intelligence pertaining to us as moral, intellectual, mortal and immortal beings, pertaining to this world and to the world that is to come. We are open to truth of every kind, no matter whence it comes, where it originates or who believes it."153 153Journal of Discourses 25:215, quoted by Ludlow, Latter-day Prophets Speak, Bookcraft, 1948, p. 399. Brigham Young has often been quoted as having said, "Mormonism, so-called, embraces all truth." This does not mean that all truth has come to use through the restoration, but that we are free to accept and to adopt truth from all sources, confident that all knowledge may be used to help mankind realize the purpose of life as taught in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We do not classify our own religion as true and all others as false. We know that other religions contain many truths and accomplish much good. In the words of the late President of the Church, George Albert Smith: "I meet members of the Catholic, the Presbyterian, the Methodist and all other churches, and I find in these men and women virtues that are most beautiful to me."154 154Smith, George Albert, Sayings of a Saint, Published by Alice K. Chase. "Keep all the good that you have, and let us bring you more good, in order that you may be happier and in order that you may be prepared to enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father."155 (Journal History, August 14, 1921) 155Quoted in George Albert Smith's Sharing the Gospel with Others, 1948, Preston Nibley, compiler. In this spirit we invite all Christians, and indeed, all men, to investigate the teachings of the restored Gospel and the character of the Church to see if the religion of the Latter-day Saints conforms in principle and in spirit to the pristine norm of Christianity, and also to judge our religion on its own merit. The burden of proof rests upon the Latter-day Saints to reveal to mankind that the religion which they profess is the true and fullest interpretation of the Gospel of Christ. The final responsibility of decision rests with each investigator. With the help of God, he is encouraged "to prove all things; to hold fast that which is good." II. Latter-day Saints have no monopoly on virtue or righteousness. We recognize the wonderful quality of Christian living which has characterized the lives of the Saints of all ages. We hold in greatest respect the countless Saints of our day, men and women of every faith, race, and color, who live out their lives in loving, and unknown self-sacrifice, devoted to the ideals of Jesus Christ. We know there are many, not of our faith, who live nearer to the Christian ideal than many of us who confess faith in the light of the restored Gospel and who belong to the fellowship of the restored Church. We recognize also the wonderful Christ-like service rendered by other groups of people, for example, the humble, kindly services of the Salvation Army, and the devotion to peace and human brotherhood of the Society of Friends. We are also aware of many of our own shortcomings as Latter-day Saints. We have great need to grow in humility; to search for truth; to lend increased obedience to Gospel principles; to increase in reverence and in service and love. Still we believe that the theology of the restored Gospel, the moral and practical emphasis of the Church, and the gifts and powers associated with the priesthood of God make available to men the richest opportunity on earth to realize the Christian life as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have seen the power of these things in the lives of men and women and of youth, who bring to their Latter-day Saint faith a genuine devotion. Were this not so, we could not recommend the faith to others for investigation; nor would we spend the precious days of life in its discipleship. This is submitted not as proof, but as testimony. There is in the restored Gospel and Church of Jesus Christ a power for righteousness and a source of joy unto all those who believe. In the words of a Book of Mormon prophet: "But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life. "And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst." (Alma 32:41, 42) III. Latter-day Saints do claim to have the priesthood of God. This was given as we noted in the last chapter, by ordination from men who received it from Christ himself. We hold the priesthood of God to be unique to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This, too, is a bold assertion.156 But let it be remembered that the priesthood was not given to honor man, but is the authority of God delegated to man for the salvation of others. It is the divine power to serve and bless our fellow men. It is a responsibility to be exercised only in the spirit of Christ as our own scripture attests: 156See Chapters 31 and 32 for an explanation of priesthood, and Chapter 41 for an account of its restoration. "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? "Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson -- "That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness. "That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man. "Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God. "We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. "Hence many are called, but few are chosen. "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; "By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile -- "Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy; "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. "Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. "The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever." (D&C 121:34-46) SUMMARY Latter-day Saints believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is of God, a divine plan given to men for their good, their joy, and their salvation. It is the fruit of revelation through the Holy Ghost and throught he life, teaching, and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that, following the death of the ancient apostles, significant changes in doctrine, purpose, and practices came gradually into Christianity, which represented serious departures from the plan of God. For this reason, divine authority was taken from the earth. While many men have sought to bring us back to the original Gospel of Christ and have made some strides in that direction, we believe that it was not until the Nineteenth Century that God and Christ saw fit to restore tomankind the Gospel and Church in their pristine character and endowed with the Holy Priesthood. We believe that Joseph Smith was called, in response to his own desire to know the truth, to do this work as an instrument in the hands of God. We believe that while many churches of mankind have much truth and do much good, the greatest fulness of the Gospel and divine authority have come through revelation from Deity through the instrumentality of the Prophet Joseph Smith. This does not mean that Latter-day Saints have a complete knowledge of teh Gospel of Christ, for we believe not only all that God has revealed, and all that he does now reveal, but also that he will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God.157 157From our Ninth Article of Faith. We also believe that God has inspired men of every nation and tongue -- religious leaders, scientists, poets, philosophers, and others -- to understand his truth. Each nation, each sensitive soul, each mind inspired of God has given expression to truth in such a way asa to be of real value to us and to all men who have "eyes to see and ears to hear." We are grateful for the unique insight of many persons and seek humbly to appreciate them. Every good man has his own peculiar strength. Many religions of mankind have their very special strength, too, a particular emphasis which is good for all men to know. Latter-day Saints have no monopoly on truth. We realize also that we as a people fall far short of the faith we profess. We recognize our need to repent and to pursue more directly and earnestly the teachings and the ideals of the restored Gospel of Christ. It is our faith that God and Christ have spoken from the heavens, endowed man again with the authority and right to act for them in behalf of the welfare and salvation of men and the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when correctly interpreted, are in very deed the teachings of the Gospel fo Jesus Christ. And while we respect and accept all that is good, true, and praiseworthy in the other religions, philosophies, and arts of mankind, we believe that the basic doctrines of Christ and the gifts and blessings of his gospel are available in greater fulness in the restored Church of Jesus Christ. We invite all men to investigate the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Study it critically and also prayerfully, for the things of God are understood by the Spirit of God. We are assured, both in mind and heart by the witness of the Holy Ghost, of the divinity and truthfulness of this Latter-day work. We know of the tremendous possibilities for Christian discipleship available to men in the restored Church of Jesus Christ. We invite all men to come and see and, if they will, join in fellowship with us. And if they choose not to accept the faith, we respect their freedom to reject it. "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." (Articles of Faith 1:11)